


The Contract

by Wandering_Willow



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Eventual Smut, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-10
Updated: 2019-10-27
Packaged: 2019-11-15 01:53:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 100,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18064331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wandering_Willow/pseuds/Wandering_Willow
Summary: When Gaston leaves her for another woman, Belle moves back to Storybrooke to live with her best friend. Strapped for money, Ruby sets Belle up on a website to find a man who can help her financially until she graduates, even though she doesn't think it'll work. Until she meets the mysterious Mr. Gold.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> In order for this fic to work, I've made Storybrooke more than a little town. It's bigger so that not everyone knows each other. I own nothing and I hope this is as fun to read as it was to write! This is all Rumbelle, with side pairings making appearances.

Belle dipped the spoon into the sauce and brought it to her lips, giving it a quick taste. She hummed in approval, turning the dial on the stove down to keep it warm until Gaston came home. He was working late these past few months and he was being secretive about it. She had a sneaking suspicion that he was saving for a ring. They had been dating for eight years and at this point everyone was just waiting for him propose.

Ruby had told her that she needed to give him an ultimatum already, but that wasn't her style. He would propose when he wanted to, when he was ready. They were still young and had plenty of time.

The door to their apartment opened and closed, bringing a smile to her face. He was home early tonight. She walked to the door, watching as he hung up his coat. “This is a nice surprise,” she grinned, raising to her toes to kiss him, only for him to turn his head so her lips met his cheek instead. Her eyebrows furrowed as she stepped back. “Bad day?”

His eyes briefly met hers before he looked away. “We need to talk.”

“Okay.” Her stomach flipped at his words. She followed him into the living area, both taking a seat on their couch. He stared at his hands and took a big breath.

“Belle, you're amazing. You've always been there when I needed you, you helped me get through school and you've put up with me during football season, which says a lot.” She wanted to smile, but his tone was anything but happy. “You were there when my father passed and I had to take over his company—you knew exactly what I needed. You've always been that way, that's just who you are. You're a great person. But I just... I don't love you anymore.”

Her heart immediately stopped beating and shot up to her throat. Maybe she had heard him wrong? “What?”

He frowned. “Please don't make me say it again.

Her lips trembled and her stomach sank further. “I don't understand. I thought we were happy.”

His eyes met hers and she could tell that he wasn't enjoying the conversation any more than she was. “We were,” he agreed. “But I've changed. I'm not the same kid I was eight years ago. I'm not happy anymore and I didn't realize it until...”

Guilt crossed his features. She crossed her arms and held them close to her body, hoping it would comfort her. “Until what?”

“I met someone.”

Her jaw dropped. So that's why he had been 'working late'. “How long?”

“I don't know,” he said as he shook his head. “I didn't realize it until the Christmas party at work. I had feelings for her before then, I think. We haven't done anything, I swear,” he pleaded. “We've just been hanging out a lot and tonight we were talking and... I want more with her. When I'm with you, all I can think about is being with her and that's not fair to you.”

“Ouch,” she remarked, wiping away the tears before they had a chance to fall. The Christmas party has been five months ago.

“I never wanted to hurt you, but I can't do this anymore. We both deserve to be happy.”

Her breathing hitched as she tried to compose herself. “Do I know her?”

He stared at his hands in an attempt to hide his shame. “Yes.”

She wasn't sure she wanted to know, but she still asked, “Who is it?”

He sighed. “Odette.”

She heard her sharp intake of breath. Of course it was Odette. She was tall, blond, and beautiful. Not to mention smart, funny and more charismatic than she was. Belle had liked her, she had always been nice. “I hope you're happy together.”

He briefly smiled. “Thanks, Belle. That really means a lot.”

She sniffled, once again wiping her eyes. “Just give me a couple of days and I'll be moved out. I'll leave the keys with the landlord.”

“You can stay here for as long as you need. I know you're alone here... I feel awful. At least let me help pay for the moving costs.”

She stood and shook her head, feeling the tears stream down her cheeks. “Please just go.”

“Belle...” He tried to reach for her, but she shrugged him off.

“I want to be alone.”

He nodded, giving her one last look before he grabbed his coat and left. The tears fell as she collapsed on the couch, letting her cries out. Her heart ached and she felt sadness hit her in waves. She grabbed her phone and through her tears found Ruby's number and dialed.

It only rang twice before her friend answered. “Belle! What's up?”

A sob caught in her throat, leaving her unable to answer. She let out what sounded like a mangled version of her friends name before she continued her sobs.

“What happened? Are you okay?” Her tone immediately turned serious.

“No,” she managed to say. “Gaston...b-broke up with m-me.”

“That bastard!” She cursed. “I'm coming, okay? It'll take me a few hours, but I'll be there. Hang in there sweetie.”

She nodded, even though Ruby couldn't see her and ended the call. She laid down on the couch, letting her body shake as she tried to let her sadness flow out through her tears.

**1 year later**

Belle chewed her bottom lip as she stared at the books she needed for her fall semester. They were expensive, as she expected them to be. She had already been drowning in her student loan payments, which weren't going into deferment until she started school in the fall. Her two part time jobs allowed her to save a good chunk of money during her year long break, but the costs were adding up. She wasn't going to be able to work both jobs when she started school, which was going to be a problem.

Ruby had been a godsend, though. She would understand if she couldn't put as much toward their rent. Ever since she had met her current boyfriend, who was apparently loaded, he didn't mind showering her with money and gifts, which indirectly helped Belle out too.

At that moment, Ruby burst into their small apartment and smiled when she saw Belle.

“My favorite roomie. Look what I've got for you.” She pulled out a box of Belle's favorite chocolate's from her bag and set them on the table.

She eyed them and looked up at her friend. “Thanks. This is nice actually, I needed this after looking at how poor I'm going to be until I finish school.”

Ruby's smile wavered as she sat down at the table. “I can take you out tonight, my treat. Anywhere you want to go. And then we can go to that bookstore you like so much.”

She laughed. “Not that I don't appreciate that, but why? My birthday was a couple weeks ago.”

“It's more of a bribe to let you down easy so you don't hate me,” Ruby said with a wince.

She rolled her eyes at her friend. She was the dramatic one out of the two of them. “Why would I hate you?”

Her lips widened into an apologetic smile. “I don't want to renew the lease. Because I'm moving in with Archie.”

Belle's eyes widened. “What? You're moving in with him? Rubes, are you sure that's a good idea? I mean you've only known the guy for a few months.”

Ruby bit her lip, her face oozing guilt. “So I haven't exactly told the truth about Archie, but it was because I couldn't. We had to see where it would go first.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I figured if I told you, you'd never approve.”

She frowned. “Even if I didn't, I would never judge you for it. You know me better than that.”

Her friend nodded, slightly ashamed. “I know, I'm sorry. I was just afraid of what you'd say. Anyway... well Archie and I met online, that much you know. What I didn't tell you is that it was for people looking to set up specific arrangements. I needed money and he needed a hot girlfriend to bring to events. He's kind of shy and not exactly a Hemsworth brother, so...”

Belle resisted the urge to sigh. “He's your sugar daddy and you're sleeping with him for money.”

“I don't have to,” she corrected. “But yes. It's not like the sex is bad, it's really great actually. I get better benefits when sex is involved and you know I was never shy about that anyway.”

“But you're moving in with him.” Ruby nodded. “So... why?”

She shrugged. “Why not? You know I don't want to get married or have kids. He's had a vasectomy, so clearly his mind is made up. He said if I moved in he'd give me anything I wanted.”

Belle was sure she looked thoroughly confused as none of it made any sense to her. “You want to rely on some man to take care of you forever? How could you ever be sure he won't just toss you aside after a few years when he wants someone younger and hotter?”

Ruby shrugged. “He's a good guy. We have a contract, anyway, with terms should that ever happen. I'm tired of waiting tables, honestly. He told me I could pursue my dream of starting a wolf sanctuary, he'd fund the whole thing. He's actually a really sweet guy.”

It was all starting to make sense now, why her boyfriend was so free with his money. “I guess I can't change your mind. If you're happy then that's all that matters. Even if I think it's a dumb idea.”

Ruby leaped out of her chair and embraced her fully. “Thanks for understanding. It means a lot.”

She patted her friend on the back, eying the chocolates on the table. “I guess I'm going to have to find a roommate or a different apartment.” She couldn't afford their apartment on her own, it was in a nice part of town and rent had increased for the next year. In fact, Storybrooke had turned into quite the metropolis over the years, much to her surprise.

“Sorry,” Ruby apologized.

She frowned, looking at the list of books she needed to buy. “I'll make it work somehow.” She buried her hands into her hair, trying to massage her head of the incoming headache.

“You know,” Ruby started. “You could do the same thing I did to get some extra cash.”

She glared at her friend. “I'm not sleeping with some guy for money. Besides, I've had enough of dating, fake or otherwise, for awhile.”

“Hear me out,” she started. “You haven't dated at all this past year. This would be a good way to get back into it. You would know up front what was going to happen. You could make it so you only do it for the year you're in school to get you by. I think it would be good for you. You haven't been the same since...”

“Since I had my heart broken into a million pieces? Yeah, funny how that tends to change a person.” She shut her laptop and stood up, ready to walk away from the conversation.

“See? This is what I mean,” Ruby said as she followed her. “The Belle I know would never say something like that. She laughed and smiled and loved with her heart on her sleeve. You're just... a shell of her. You work too much, you never go out anymore and you've become, well, anti-relationships.”

She sighed as she plugged in her laptop. “People change Ruby.”

Ruby placed a hand on her arm, trying to get Belle to look up at her. “My Belle is still in there somewhere. I know you hate the idea, but could you just try it? I'll help you set everything up. Maybe you'll find someone like you and you two can be miserable together.” Her friend flashed her a smile.

She rolled her eyes. “I am not miserable. Stressed and a little annoyed, but I'm fine. Besides, I'm not exactly you. I'm not some tall, gorgeous model-esque woman that guys instantly fall for. I'll always be that quiet, odd girl who likes books.” She sat on her bed, feeling completely defeated after she said the words.

“Belle,” Ruby sighed, taking a seat next to her. “Is that really how you think of yourself?

She shrugged. “How could I not? I'm not like you or Odette. When we're out it's like I don't exist, which I don't mind. You have this beauty and charisma about you that I've never had. As soon as I open my mouth everything comes out wrong.”

Ruby frowned, but didn't immediately offer any words as if she knew it was the truth. “You've just lost your confidence, is all. You're the most kind, giving person I have ever met. Do you remember when I first started at Storybrooke Middle and I didn't know anyone? No one would talk to me, but you did. You were sitting with Mary Margaret and Emma and asked if I wanted to eat lunch with you. It was the first time that week I didn't go home and cry. Do you remember what you said to me?”

She smiled at the memory. “I said 'My name is Belle and we're going to be best friends.'”

“That's right,” Ruby said with a grin. “And do you remember what you told me when I finally admitted that I also like girls?”

Her lips twitched. “I told you it didn't change anything, you would always be my best friend.”

Her friend nodded. “Mary Margaret and Emma would say the same things. Living with your heart on your sleeve isn't a bad thing, you just found someone who didn't appreciate it enough. Why not give it another shot. What is it that you always tell me, do the brave thing and bravery will follow?"

She smiled at her mothers old saying and nodded. “Yeah.”

Her friend bumped her shoulder and smiled back. “You're only young once. You might as well make some fun stories while you're at it.”

“I guess it couldn't hurt to see what happens.” The worst thing that could happen was that no one was interested and she would be right back to where she was now. Besides, it would get Ruby off her back.

“That's the spirit! Let's get you set up!” She said as she opened the laptop and began typing. “I've already got a great username for you.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You've been thinking about this, huh?”

Ruby shrugged. “Neither of us has any money, and you could catch a break quite honestly. You get some money, some guy gets a hot girlfriend or whatever. Win-win.”

Belle watched the screen as Ruby filled out the information. “Blueeyedbeauty26? Really? That's what you're going with?”

“Yup! Confidence is key! So would you rather upload some pictures or put up measurements? In my opinion if you do both you can't go wrong, but you have to do one or the other.”

She frowned. “That's degrading. I am not putting up my measurements. You can pick one picture, but that's it.”

Ruby groaned. “You are no fun. You have to market yourself, you're on here as a piece of meat. That's the whole point. I better make it a good picture.”

She watched as Ruby sifted through the pictures on her laptop. There were hardly any from the last year, for obvious reasons and none of them were worthy. Ruby stopped on one with her wearing a navy blue lace dress ending at her thigh, with a brown belt around her waist and a pair of her favorite heels. Her hair was down in curls and she was laughing.

Gaston was in the picture across from her, smirking in his usual way.

She remembered that day. They were at his friends wedding and he had made a funny comment about something. They had been trying to get a posed picture, but it didn't work and instead they had this one. They had danced and he held her like he had been happy. Little did the Belle in the picture know that two weeks later she would find out the truth. She had always wondered if during their dances he had wished it was Odette he was holding.

“It's the most recent and best picture of you. We can cut him out easily.”

“Okay,” she agreed. Ruby got to work on cropping the picture and uploading it. She averted her eyes to her hands, wondering when she would be that girl again. Ruby had been right, she wasn't the same person she was a year ago. She wasn't sure how to become her again, or if she ever wanted to.

“I'm just putting your age and interests and preferences. Let me know if I get something wrong.” For something so casual, it seemed to be very detailed. Belle let her fill out everything, along with a little tidbit about her and why she was on the site. Before she knew it everything was official and she was now available for hire. “All you can do now is wait until a guy catches your eye,” she said as she shut the laptop. “Now I believe I promised you some food.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

It had been a long day. Belle worked at the diner down the street from early in the morning until lunch time. She had time to eat quickly and rinse off the stench of greasy food before she walked to the library, where she worked late into the night. Her day was going to repeat tomorrow, with the exception that she worked at the diner in the morning, worked only a few hours at the library and then worked a night shift at the diner. She had been picking up diner shifts when she could since they had been stingy with their hours lately.

She felt like collapsing as soon as she walked into her apartment. She hadn't expected to see Ruby sitting on the sofa watching television. “Thought you'd be at Archie's tonight.”

Her roommate turned to her with a frown. “Jesus Belle, you look like shit.”

She kicked off her shoes and set her purse on the table. “Thanks,” she said, unable to conjure the will to care.

“Have you eaten today?”

She held up her sandwich before she dumped it on the table. “I had some scraps at the diner earlier.” She opened up her sandwich, taking a healthy bite from it as she noticed Ruby stand next to her with her hands on her hips.

“We've talked about this. You need to eat more.”

“I am eating,” she commented as she held up her sandwich.

Ruby frowned. “You know what I mean. I don't want you going back to before.”

She continued to eat her sandwich without responding. 'Before' meant after her break up where she didn't eat at all and lost ten pounds alarmingly fast. She still hadn't gained it all back yet, not that she would tell Ruby that.

“You do realize he was never good for you, right? He never shared his feelings, he rarely said he loved you and he never did anything but make you feel inadequate. You were unhappy for the last couple years, you just didn't want to believe it.”

She let her sandwich fall to the table, her appetite suddenly gone. “You think I don't know that?” It had been such a long day, she could feel her bones growing heavy. “I still loved him, Ruby. I can't change that.”

Ruby slid into the chair next to her, an apologetic smile on her lips. “There are others out there. It'll get better, I promise.”

She played with the edge of the sandwich paper. “Someday,” she breathed, hoping one day she'd believe it.

Her friend perked up. “Aren't you curious to see who's hit you up online? That'll make you feel better.”

Truthfully she had forgotten all about it. “You can look for me.” She grabbed her sandwich again, knowing she had to force herself to finish it.

Ruby grinned and raced to grab her laptop. Belle watched as she turned it on and excitedly started to click though the responses. “I knew it! You have a lot of men interested in you. Look at this one. He's kind of a silver fox, owns his own business and would like to take you out to dinner.”

She turned the laptop around and Belle almost choked on her sandwich. “Ruby, the man is sixty years old.”

“So?” She said as she turned the laptop back to her. “You're not signing up to date him forever.”

“No. Matter of fact, how about we just eliminate everyone who has twenty or more years on me.”

Ruby sighed and she could hear a lot of clicking. “You know, the older ones are the more successful ones. I mean, Archie is closer to fifty than forty, but he doesn't look it.”

“Your tastes were always more varied than mine,” she reminded her friend who only grinned at her.

“Okay, so if we delete all those guys there's still plenty here. Look at this one, he's only forty and he's some hot shot architect in New York City.”

Belle frowned as she looked at his picture. “He looks like a serial killer. Also, New York City? We live in Maine.”

“So you want someone local too?”

She threw her hands up. “I'm going to school in the fall. Here. In Maine. I can't exactly travel on a whim. Why would I see someone in New York City?”

Ruby shook her head. “So you have age restrictions _and_ location restrictions? Most of these guys will pay to fly you wherever they need you. How does that not sound amazing to you?”

She stared at her friend as if she had three heads. “No. It's one thing to have to travel somewhere with them, but to them? Can we make it like an hour away max?”

Her friend blew out a breath. “You do realize there's a lot of nothing an hour away in any direction from here right? You're limiting yourself to Storybrooke. Which is fine, but there's only so many rich guys here.”

“Archie's here,” she pointed out. “There are plenty of doctors and lawyers and things here that I'm sure have extra cash. I don't need a lot.”

“Actually, Archie was just here for a conference once. He lives in New York City. He flies me out to see him whenever I visit if he doesn't come here.”

How had she not known this? Had she been so caught up in herself that she never asked? Then it dawned on her. “You're moving to New York City?”

Ruby suddenly found the floor to be interesting. “I didn't want to upset you. Archie will fly me here anytime I want, so it'll be like I never left.”

She nodded, knowing she couldn't be mad at her friend. She had left Storybrooke when she was eighteen to live with Gaston in Boston. At the time, it was a great adventure to her. “Anybody left?” She asked as she nodded to the laptop.

“Not really,” she winced. “No one you'd like anyway. One's married and they're trying to spice up the bedroom. This other one sounds like a tool.”

She finished her sandwich with a shrug. “I didn't think I'd have any luck. Thanks for trying, though.”

There was a ding from her laptop, causing Ruby to jump up. “This dude wants to talk to you!”

“You said yourself I wouldn't like any of them.”

“No! This is a different guy. Here, look at his profile.”

She grabbed her laptop and opened his page. There was no picture, which wasn't comforting. He did give his height and weight, though. He was slightly taller than her and skinny from the description. He was forty-six, divorced, childless and local. Other than that he didn't have much to go on. “I don't know, he seems pretty secretive.”

“He could be shy! See what he has to say.”

She opened his message. He said, “ _You sound like who I'm looking for. I would be interested in seeing if we could be a match_.”

She nearly rolled her eyes and responded. _It would be easier if you had a picture or any information about yourself._ He could be crazy for all she knew!

“Be nice. He could have anxiety or something,” Ruby reminded her.

“His username is Rumpelstiltskin. He's either playing off that he's very wealthy or broadcasting that he kidnaps children.”

“You're impossible. I'm going back to the TV while you ruin your chances over here.”

She hid her smirk as her friend walked off and the mysterious man responded. _I don't have a picture because I don't want others to see me on here. People know me and I am trying to keep this a secret. As for the lack of information, I find that you and I are looking for similar things. I am much more of a fan in doing than saying. I would rather meet you in person and see. I find it wastes less time._

She could appreciate the fact that he was a go getter. It was probably why he had money. What the hell. At the very least she could get a free meal out of it. It wasn't like she was going to be taking her clothes off. It was just a simple meal. _I'm free on Tuesday around lunch time._

She waited, picking at her nails before he finally responded. _Tuesday at 12 PM, Wonderland. When you arrive tell the host you are there to meet with Rumpelstiltskin. I'll be waiting for you._

Wonderland was a pretty nice restaurant. Lunch was more reasonable than dinner, but it was way nicer than she would ever treat herself to. _I will see you then._

He promptly logged off without further response. The whole thing was bizarre. As Ruby had put it, she was sure to have an interesting story from it.

“I have a date on Tuesday.”

Ruby's head jerked around, her eyes wide. “Holy shit, you actually made a date?” She bounced up on her knees, hanging her arms over the back of the couch. “Where are you going?”

She shut the laptop and pushed it away from her. “Wonderland.”

Her friends grin widened. “He's serious, then. What are you going to wear?”

She shrugged, moving to throw away her trash. “What I normally wear when I go out.”

Ruby groaned. “No. You have to look nice! You need to look your best so that he can't keep his eyes off you and he has to have you.”

She arched an amused eyebrow. “I'm not going to be something I'm not. I'm going in as myself. It won't matter how I look anyway. I'm sure I'll say something stupid within the first five minutes.”

A snort came from across the room. “You could just not talk?”

Belle chuckled. “You joke, but it might be more effective.” She picked up her laptop and started walking to her room. “I'm going to bed, I've got another early day tomorrow.”

“Kay. Love you B,” she said, distracted by the TV.

“Love you too,” she murmured as she disappeared into her room and shut the door.

–

After a few grueling days of work, Belle was happy that it was finally Tuesday. She didn't have to be at work until four, which meant she could sleep in and take her time getting ready. She put the finishing touches on her makeup—some mascara, eyeliner and eyeshadow mostly—before she stood in front of her closet. Oddly, she wasn't nervous for her date, if that's what it was.

They would be meeting in an open location with several people around, for one. Second, she didn't have any expectations for herself, or him. She knew the odds of the first attempt working out were slim, even Ruby had told her that. Besides, she didn't think she could be like Ruby. She would go on this outing, declare it a disaster and forget it ever happened. She could figure out her financial situation some other way, as she always did.

That aside, she figured it would be nice to look good for once, just for herself. She hadn't let herself really go out since the breakup. She picked up a navy blue sleeveless top with red stripes that hugged her neck and a dull pink pleated mini skirt. She pulled out a pair of nude and black heels to go with it before she clipped her hair back, allowing strands to frame her face.

She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. At the very least she felt good and that was something. She heard a buzz and looked for her phone, seeing she had a message from Ruby.

_Remember, you are sexy and a catch. Make sure he knows that!_ _Have a good time._

She rolled her eyes and typed back, _Thanks._

She ordered an Uber and walked outside to wait. It was a nice June day and she loved taking in the sun. She would've walked, but not in her heels. She didn't want to show up looking like a mess, not when she just started feeling good about herself.

Minutes ticked by and her Uber driver arrived, taking her a short drive to Wonderland. She thanked her driver before she walked into the quaint little restaurant. Seeing as it was in the heart of downtown Storybrooke, several people were waiting for tables when she walked in, no doubt on their lunch break. She checked her phone and saw that she was a couple of minutes early.

She waited in the short line of people checking in to be put on a waiting list before she got to the host. He was a handsome man with a dashing smile that reminded her of Ruby. “Good morning, Miss. Are you looking to have lunch with us today?”

“Yes,” she said with a smile. “I'm actually meeting someone here. He said to tell the host I was meeting Rumpelstiltskin.”

He paused, assessing her from head to toe before he grinned again. “Yes, of course. He has a private table. If you would just follow me, please.”

She followed the host, noticing how busy and loud the restaurant was. She was not known for projecting her voice, so this was going to go swimmingly. He led her to the back, toward a door. He knocked twice before he walked in, ushering her to follow.

She walked into the room, noticing several vacant tables. It must have been their private room as it was very quaint and intimate. She followed the man to the table against the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the small river that ran through Storybrooke. A man was standing at the window looking out.

As she reached the table he still hadn't turned around as the host slightly bowed to her. “My name is Jefferson and I will be serving you today. I will be back shortly to see if there are any refreshments you would like.” He grinned once again before swiftly leaving the room. Upon hearing the door shut, the mystery man slowly turned around.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit longer than the others. I couldn't find it in me to break it up. I hope you all enjoy! Thanks for reading! :)

He was as tall as she was, which wasn't too shocking considering the size of her heels. His hair was to his shoulders, brown with streaks of gray. There were obvious wrinkles around his eyes and there was a cane in his hand. He was using it as he stood. His eyes pierced into hers, but they were a warm brown that didn't alarm her in the slightest. In all, he was definitely not unattractive. 

“It's nice to meet you...” She held out her hand in greeting as she waited for his name. 

He paused before he took her hand and she found it was softer than she would have thought. “Rumpelstiltskin.” She couldn't help but note his lovely accent.

Before her brain could stop her she said, “That's not really your name.” 

At his quirked eyebrow she internally cursed herself. She couldn't even go five minutes without putting her foot in her mouth. “And if it was?” 

She winced. “That was rude of me, I'm sorry.” 

There was a small hint of a smirk on his lips. “It's my alias. It's nothing personal. Not very many know my first name and that's how I prefer it. Until we see if there's any deal to be made here, you can call me Rumpelstiltskin.” He gestured for her to sit down as he did the same. 

“Ah, well at least the name makes sense now. I wasn't sure if you were going for the wealthy angle or kidnapping children angle.” She didn't realize how ridiculous she sounded until she said it out loud. Maybe she should just stop talking. 

There was another slight smirk on his lips as he set his cane against the table. “I only kidnap the children for their pelts.” 

His response was so nonchalant that it surprised her, causing her to knock her hand against the water glass instead of picking it up. From there it was a chain reaction. The water glass fell, hitting the empty tea cup on the table, causing it to flip and fall onto the ground, while also spilling her water all over the table and the floor. “Shit!” She exclaimed, immediately dropping to the floor to pick up the cup when she realized... “I mean shoot!” She internally cursed to herself. Gaston had always told her it was unladlylike to curse, but in being around Ruby so long she couldn't help it. She picked up the cup, noticing a small chip from it as she sat back in her chair. “It's chipped.” 

He frowned and shrugged. “It's only a cup. I know the owner. One cup isn't going to make or break him.”

“I don't mind paying for it, really. It was my fault. I can be so clumsy.” She set the cup on the table and started pushing the stray ice back into her now empty glass before picking up the pieces on the floor. She took her cloth napkin and laid it down, allowing it to soak up the water. She didn't want the host to slip when he came in, so she left it on the floor until he could bring more.

By the time she was done she couldn't help but notice his sharp gaze on her, making her blush slightly. Since she spilled it everywhere, she didn't have any water to nervously sip as her eyes darted around. 

“You could have left the mess, you know. Jefferson would've been back soon enough to clean it up.” 

“I'm a waitress, second nature I guess,” she said with a shrug. “Besides, I'm perfectly capable of doing it myself.” 

“So it seems.” She watched as he took a sip of his coffee, completely disinterested. 

Her eyes found the menu and she began to look through it, trying to avoid his eyes. She wasn't entirely convinced he wasn't going to tell her lunch was canceled because she was... well, her. He was wearing a three piece suit, and here she was with her quirky outfit knocking water everywhere. 

Jefferson walked in, swift as ever, a grin still on his face. He paused before the wet spot on the floor and looked at it before his eyes landed on Belle's empty glass. 

“I'm sorry, it all happened so fast. I broke your cup and I'd be happy to pay to have it replaced. I tried to clean it up the best I could.” 

His eyes went to Rumpelstiltskin as he arched a brow before he turned to her with a smirk. “It's nothing. Would you like some fresh water?” 

She nodded and gave him an apologetic smile. “Yes, please.”

He nodded to them both, taking her tea cup, empty water glass and soaked napkin before leaving the room. She chanced a look to the man across from her, noticing his calculating gaze on her again. She gave him one of those closed half smiles she did when she felt awkward before averting her eyes to the menu again. She was going to try to keep her mouth shut. 

She managed to get through all of the appetizers before he said anything. “We can start by you telling me what you're looking for.” 

She gave him a puzzled frown. “Didn't my profile say all of that?” 

Another almost smirk came from him. “Shouldn't you know?” 

She bit her lip. “My friend convinced me to do this. I'll admit I only half read what she was doing.” 

An actual smirk appeared on his lips this time. “So this is your first time?” 

She swallowed, wondering why those words said in his accent made her warm. “I've never used the site before today,” she admitted, as if it wasn't already obvious. Before she could elaborate Jefferson walked in with a fresh glass of water and a new napkin. 

“Try not to spill this everywhere,” he teased, making her cheeks warm. There was some silent conversation between him and Rumpelstiltskin before he left again. 

“You were about to tell me what you're doing on the site,” he asked again, taking another sip of coffee. 

Right. The whole reason she was there. She tried not to feel embarrassed, he was there too. “I'm going back to school in the fall. The books are expensive and I'm still paying my loans until they go into deferment. My roommate is moving in with her boyfriend and I can't afford to live by myself. I won't be able to work both jobs while I'm back at school, so things are going to be a bit strained once I go back.” 

“So you want your tuition, books and rent covered,” he summed up. 

Thinking that he was kidding, she laughed. “Just the books and rent. I couldn't ever dream of having my tuition paid.” He stared at her for a few seconds and she wasn't sure what he was thinking. She was probably asking for too much, now that she thought about it. “Or anything really. I know that it's a lot. I'd be grateful for any help. I live in a two bedroom now, I was planning on getting a roommate or moving into a studio, that should help with lowering the cost.” 

He arched an eyebrow at her. “How much does your current place cost?” 

“Well rent is about a thousand a month, plus utilities. But like I said, I could get a place for less than that if I move and I could cover the utilities and some of the rent. Then my books this semester are about five hundred. I imagine next semester will be the same. So, yeah. If I could just have my books and half the rent paid for I could make the rest work. I know it's a lot to ask.” 

He blinked, the only indication that he had heard her before letting out a very short chuckle. “Dearie, you need to work on your negotiating skills.”

She nervously sipped her water. It was a long shot. She figured this was where he was going to tell her that she was asking for too much. “Sorry, I don't really know how this works. Am I being unreasonable?” At least he could tell her now so that if there was ever a next time for her, she could be prepared. 

He wasn't laughing, but there was a lightness to his eyes that hadn't been there before. “I'm looking for someone who could play the part of my girlfriend. I'm getting attention as an eligible bachelor and it is tiresome. I've no interest in dating. I am in the spotlight at times. I need someone who can make my ex-wife jealous as well as accompany me to various functions. That means fancy dinners, parties, events, all year round. It can be rather demanding and exhausting at times, sometimes the company isn't the greatest.” 

She did all of those things with Gaston when they were together and he had taken over his fathers company. Hell, even before that. Usually he would drink too much and when they got home he would get super... “I wasn't planning on having sex as part of the arrangement.” 

He shrugged, as if it didn't bother him. “That's perfectly fine. I certainly wouldn't want you to do anything against your will for money. For what I proposed, I would pay for both semesters of books, your rent plus utilities every month for where you're currently living as well as pocket change and anything you would need for any events I'd take you to. You'd have to either quit your jobs, or make sure you were always free the days I needed you available. I'd require a one year contract from the date of signing. Assuming I would like to offer it by the end of lunch.”

She couldn't help the way her eyebrows shot up at his potential offer. It was a lot more than she could have thought of getting. Before she took another sip of water she casually commented, “And I'm bad at negotiating? What's left for you to offer if I decided I did want to add sex as part of the arrangement?” 

“I'd pay for the next years tuition,” came his calm response. 

She coughed on her water as she set it down. She had been kidding, after all. “You're joking.” 

He seemed to enjoy the look on her face as he smirked. “Not at all.” 

After all the crap she gave Ruby, here she was re-thinking her whole plan. “Sex isn't worth that much,” she tried to reason. He had to be pulling her leg. 

He half shrugged. “I'm not a man for one night stands, or eager to add notches to my belt. There's a certain beauty in monogamy and being with a woman who enjoys your touch, whatever her motives.” 

She could feel herself blush at his steady stare. “I don't know that I'd call myself experienced. I've only been with one guy, ever,” she admitted. She wasn't about to enter into a contract under false pretenses. She guessed a lot of the women who did this were like Ruby—way more experienced than she was. 

“Interesting,” he murmured as Jefferson walked in. Was that a good interesting or bad interesting? 

It wasn't like she was actually going to do it anyway. 

“Are you two ready to order?” 

Rumpelstiltskin looked at her, causing her to look at the menu. They were talking too much for her to really decide on anything. She quickly scanned the salads and picked the first one she saw. “I'll have the strawberry kale salad.” 

Rumpelstiltskin ordered a soup and panini combination before Jefferson walked away with their menus. 

“We could have waited until you decided on what you really wanted.”

She waved him off. “I like salad. Besides, I'm sure you have to get back to work sooner rather than later.”

“Being the boss has its privileges. Everyone will wait for me.” There was an air of confidence around him as he spoke, almost as if he was untouchable.

“What do you do?” 

“A bit of this and that. I own a business and have a hand in a lot of real estate. I'm also an attorney, which helps with both aspects of my job when it comes to deals.”

Descriptive and yet vague at the same time. She suspected he would tell her more if they were actually going to be working together, or whatever it was. “Do you like it?” 

His hands rested on his coffee cup, fiddling with the handle. “Like any job it has it's days.” She could see his eyes grow darker at the mention of it. “Sometimes I feel like I'm flying after a particularly good deal. Sometimes I wonder the point of it all.” 

“Sounds like life to me,” she offered. 

He seemed to snap from his trance, his eyes clear once again. “Why did you take a year off from school?” He was deflecting away from himself, she could tell. For someone so confident, he didn't like to talk about himself. 

She could feel herself readjusting in her seat at the question. “I was going to school in Boston. I lived with my boyfriend at the time. He left me for someone else, so I moved back here. I needed some time to gather myself.” It was as much detail as she could allow herself to give. She kept her eyes outside, unable to look at him. She was afraid that he'd still see the pieces of her splintered heart in her eyes if she dared to look at him. 

“My ex-wife left me for a younger man,” he admitted. “They're married now and she shoves it in my face every time I see her. I've been waiting for the perfect person to come along so I could extend the same courtesy.” 

Her eyes shifted to his and she felt the understanding in them. The same pain lingered there, mirroring her own. She offered a half smile. “I hope you find the girl you're looking for,” she quietly told him before she looked back out the window. Unfortunately for her, there was no vengeance she wished to exact, nothing that would make her feel better. She could show up with anyone and Gaston would have been happy for her. Relieved of guilt, probably, if he ever felt any at all. 

“I never got your name.” 

She furrowed her eyebrows, realizing she never gave it. Unlike him, she didn't have any reservations about sharing it. “Belle. Isabelle, really, but no one calls me that.” She wasn't going to bother asking for his. He seemed pretty adamant about not sharing it. 

“What are you going to school for, Belle?” Her name was soft on his lips, like the rustling of leaves in the wind. It almost made her shiver.

“Library sciences,” she said, feeling herself perk up at the topic. “Hopefully after this year of schooling I'll be a librarian. I've wanted to be one for as long as I can remember.” 

He nodded, a small smile crossing his face. “I've got a library in my house. It could probably use a librarian to get it organized, it's a mess.”

The man couldn't be so bad if he had his own personal library. She hated how her body betrayed her with this new information, but she was buzzing with questions. Instead she let out a tiny sound of approval. “I'm a little jealous. Ruby—my roommate—is probably happy to leave. I've got books everywhere and not enough room for them. She's always telling me to donate them. I've thought about it, but I'm waiting until I become a librarian. I have so many ideas and it might take some personal funding before they catch on.”

She could feel her head in the clouds again, alight with possibilities. Gaston had always been her anchor to the ground, the realist of them both. She frowned at the thought of him. “At least I can hope that they do,” she added, trying to reign herself in. 

“Don't let anyone tell you that you can't. You've got the passion and the will. Most people would kill to have that kind of passion about something. You take that passion and you create something wonderful.” 

She blinked, surprise crossing her features. He knew barely anything about her and yet he was telling her to go for her dreams. Almost as if he believed in her. She felt her cheeks grow warm. “No ones ever said it like that before.” 

He was going to say something when Jefferson walked in with their food. Rumpelstiltskin's smelled heavenly, and her salad looked about as good as a strawberry kale salad could look. They thanked Jefferson before he made his hasty retreat. 

Before she could dig into her salad, her lunch companion carefully slid his cup of soup over to her. She arched an eyebrow as the steaming cup of tomato bisque sat next to her salad. “I've had that salad. Trust me, you'll want more to eat.” 

He had a whole panini to himself, so she knew he wouldn't go hungry if she did manage to eat it. “Thank you.” 

Once she finished her salad, she couldn't resist the soup. It had smelled so good and the salad was not as filling as she had hoped. She could have sworn he grinned when she first took a sip of the delicious soup. She was surprised he parted with it. “This is really good.”

“I know.” There was a certain cockiness to his tone, but she ignored it. 

“How many times have you done this?” He had asked her before, but she was curious as to how often he contracted women and hadn't had the chance to ask until now. 

“Interviewing women that meet my requirements? About a dozen. I'm new to the site as well, but I have a friend who likes to use it plenty. I haven't found the right person yet.” 

So he had never done this either. At least when she left she could rest easy knowing that she was just one of many women who did not fit what he was looking for. “I feel like after so many tries I'd give up. Honestly I did this to please my friend, I didn't intend on going on any more dates after this. I knew the first time would fail, statistically speaking.” 

“I see.” He patted his lips with his napkin, his posture becoming rigid. “So you weren't interested in a deal at all.” 

She cursed to herself. Now he probably thought she was wasting his time. “No, I was! I am. I just mean, I'm obviously not the one you're looking for.”

His eyes softened slightly. “And what am I looking for?” 

She shrugged, thinking it was rather obvious. “Someone to make your ex-wife jealous. Someone perfect. Certainly not some girl who can't even get through lunch without spilling something or saying the wrong things.” Gaston had gotten used to it, even jokingly calling her a walking disaster, which was accurate, if she said so herself.

“Maybe that's precisely what makes you the perfect person.” 

Her head cocked to the side in confusion. “I don't think I understand.”

He pushed his plate aside, allowing him to lean forward and lace his fingers together on the table. “My ex would expect someone flawless. I have met many women that fit the description you gave and none of them work. They're not real, in a sense. I need someone beautiful and yet they don't know it. That is rarer than you think and something more precious than what society deems pretty.”

She knew what he had said, had followed every word, but she didn't really follow it either. “Thank you?” She was sure there was a compliment in there somewhere, but she wasn't entirely too sure. 

His lips twitched. “What I'm saying is, I think you are exactly what I'm looking for. I'd be interested in striking a deal, based on the terms we discussed.”

She could feel herself completely freeze in her chair. “Really?” She tried not to let the disbelief show, but she was thoroughly confused. Hadn't she botched the whole thing? 

“Yes. If you're agreeable. I can draw up a contract and you can read it. If you have questions or want something changed, you can tell me. Now, I need to use the restroom. I'll leave you with this pen and notebook here,” he said, taking a small notebook and pen from inside his suit jacket. “You can write your email address down and I can send the contract to you. If you are not interested, you can leave it blank and you'll never see me again. The choice is yours.” He stood using his cane and held out his hand. “It was a pleasure meeting you Belle.” 

She shook his hand once again, except this time he brought her hand to his lips for a soft kiss before he walked out of the room. 

What just happened? She stared at the pen and the notebook, wondering what to do. She had never intended on going through with it. Never thought anyone would be interested. If she agreed, for the first time since she could remember she wouldn't have to worry about money. She wouldn't have to worry about rent or food or her books. 

If she walked away... She would have to worry about all of those things. She'd have to worry about moving, finding roommates, working long hours. No one would know except Ruby and she was the whole reason she was here. 

She chewed her lip as she thought on it. She didn't have to sleep with him unless she wanted to. It could be strictly business. After a year, she could do whatever she wanted. She would know it was over, there would be no hard feelings. She might even be ready to actually date at that point. 

She grabbed the pen and neatly wrote her email address on the first page, making sure to set it back on his side of the table. 

She grabbed her purse and walked out, passing through the sea of people sitting down. She felt the sun on her face when she was outside and decided to walk back to her apartment. She had some nerves she needed to shake. 

It wasn't until she was halfway home that she realized she still didn't know his name.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Due to the insanity that will be my weekend, I'm posting early so I don't forget to. Thank you all for the kudos and comments, you rock!

Belle had never been more ready to go home after work than she was on Tuesday. Ruby kept texting her, asking her how her date went and Belle told her she would tell her everything when she got home. She might have led her to believe that nothing came of it. She still wasn't sure she could believe it. As soon as she walked through the door Ruby was there in a flash.

“How did it go? What did he look like? Is he hot? Is he loaded? Are you going to see him again?”

“Let me get in the door first,” she laughed, kicking her shoes off and throwing her purse on the table.

“I've been waiting all day. Tell. Me. Everything.”

She fought the urge to roll her eyes as she walked to the couch and fell into it. “He was actually kind of handsome,” she admitted. “He has this accent, which is really hot.” The more she thought about him, the more attractive she found him.

“I love a good accent. What is it? British? Australian? Is he French?”

She shrugged. “I didn't ask, but I think Scottish.”

Ruby grinned. “Continue.”

“His hair is graying and it's to his shoulders. He's taller than I am and the man knows how to wear a suit. He also uses a cane to help him walk, but it doesn't make him look old. He just looks... intense.”

“You would go for the wounded type,” her friend shook her head. “So what does he do?”

“I'm not sure,” she admitted. “He's a lawyer, but he also owns a business and a lot of real estate. He was kind of vague about it. Honestly, he didn't really want to talk about himself. He wouldn't even tell me his name.”

“How mysterious,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows. “What was he looking for?”

“A fake girlfriend. I guess he's considered an eligible bachelor and doesn't want the attention. He also wants to make his ex-wife jealous.”

“Vengeance, I like his style,” Ruby said with a nod. “What was he willing to give you for it?”

“He'd pay for rent and utilities, plus my books and a little side money. And whatever I'd need to attend events with him.”

“Not bad. I assume he also wanted sex as part of the deal,” she guessed, knowing Belle would object.

“No,” she shook her head. “Although he said if I did he'd pay for my last year of school.”

Ruby's jaw dropped. “Are you serious? Holy shit!”

“I wouldn't do that though and I think he knew that. As tempting as it is.”

Ruby shook her head. “I can't believe it. You were so close!”

She fumbled with the edge of her shirt. “Well... I might have given him my email so that he could send me a contract.”

“Shut up!” Ruby grinned and then let out a full fledged squeal. “Belle this is great! You won't regret it. I told you you'd find someone.”

She half smiled. “I still don't believe it. Within the first five minutes I spilled my water everywhere and I sort of almost insulted him. I thought I screwed up the whole thing, but when I told him that he said that there was something beautiful in being normal, or something like that. I'm not really sure, he didn't make sense.”

“You did not,” her friend said in a giggle. “Maybe you've finally met someone who appreciates you as you are.”

She bit her lip, finding it all too good to be true. “I still don't know what he'd want with me. I'm going to make an idiot out of myself and him at some point, it's just a matter of time.”

“Hey,” Ruby said, bumping her shoulder. “Don't talk about my best friend like that. I happen to think she's pretty amazing.”

She smiled and rested her head on her friends shoulder. “I'm going to miss you.”

She wrapped an arm around Belle's shoulder, giving her a side hug. “You'll be so busy you'll hardly notice I'm gone. Besides, Mary Margaret and Emma are still here.”

She really hoped so. Ruby had been her rock the past year. She couldn't have done it without her and she certainly wouldn't have made it as far as she did. “I can't talk to Mary Margaret about any of this, she would think I'd gone nuts. Emma wouldn't care, though.”

Ruby snorted. “Maggie's head might just explode with our personal exploits. Emma does know about Archie, though. She was cool with it.”

Of course she was. In high school Emma had been somewhat of a loose cannon and unafraid of the law. The fact that she was now a police officer still surprised her. “Good to know.”

For now, she would take the time she had left with her best friend before she jetted away to New York City. They would always be close, but she knew it would never be the same once she moved. Maybe it was a good thing she was going to make a deal with Rumpelstiltskin. At the very least he could keep her mind off of her missing friend.

–

An entire week had passed since her meeting with Rumpelstiltskin and she was beginning to think she had made it all up. Ruby had told her that Archie had a contract ready for her to sign within two days and before him, the others were usually within a day or so.

Maybe he liked toying with women, giving them hope and then leaving them high and dry. It wasn't like she could contact him. After she had waited two days she checked online, only to find he had deleted his profile. She wasn't sure why she was surprised, it was exactly the kind of thing that would happen to her. She ended up deleting her profile, not wanting to waste any more of her time or others.

At least the lease was now month to month, so she only needed to pay for it until she got a roommate or found another place. She had picked up a few shifts at the diner for the next week, knowing she would need them. When she arrived home Tuesday night, Ruby looked at her with hopeful eyes. She shook her head and made her way to the bathroom. She had been at the diner and needed to wash off the stench of food that clung to her.

As much as she wanted to savor the warm water running over her sore muscles, her feet and back were killing her. All she wanted to do was sit down and relax. She had a rare day off tomorrow, which she was greatly looking forward to. She wrapped herself in a towel and walked to her room, not bothering to put on pajamas as she grabbed a book from her nightstand and plopped onto her bed.

After an hour she felt herself starting to drift, her eyes becoming heavier and heavier with sleep. She heard her phone buzz somewhere, but she ignored it, letting sleep claim her fully.

When she woke up she found herself under the covers, her book and towel tossed aside on the floor. She didn't remember doing any of that in her sleep, not like it mattered. She rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes and picked up her book, setting it back on her nightstand. The towel could stay on the floor for now. She put on some underwear and a tank top before she grabbed her phone and trudged into the kitchen. Ruby was working this morning, so she had the apartment to herself.

She started some coffee and poured herself a bowl of knock off cheerios before she sat down to eat. She checked her phone, seeing she didn't have any texts, but she did have a few emails. She opened them up, deleting the continuous spam mail that flooded her inbox. She stopped, seeing she had one from an unknown address with an attachment. The subject line read 'Proposed Contract'.

It had been sent late last night. She clicked on it, seeing the message accompanying it.

_Belle,_

_I apologize for the delay in getting this to you. Unexpected circumstances at work prevented me from having time to work on the contract. I am a perfectionist, as you will come to find. Please read through the contract and let me know if you have questions or changes. Once you find it agreeable, we can meet in person to have it formally signed and notarized. I will need your last name in order to finalize the contract, and I will input my name once we meet._

_Sincerely,_

_Rumpelstiltskin_

She blinked, re-reading the email again and again. She hadn't made it up. He hadn't forgotten about her. He was still interested. She fought a smile and opened the contract. After seeing how many pages it was she grabbed her laptop to read it there.

Once she began reading, it was obvious where his specialty lay. It was very professional, as if it was a legitimate business deal. There were specific start and end dates. It outlined exactly what he expected from her and what she would want from him. It stated when and how he would pay her, even offering a contingency to change should their relationship turn sexual, her tuition would be paid. It outlined the nature of their relationship, what public displays of affection he would expect when they were out together.

She was not to discuss anything to the media about him or any of his companies. She would keep his name confidential, his address confidential and the nature of their relationship confidential. If she violated any of those, the contract would be void and he could seek damages, as well request any monetary assistance he gave her back.

She wondered what he did that made him so worried that anyone would find out anything about him. It also had contingencies, as Ruby had said, should either back away from the contract before the agreed upon end date. If he backed out, he would pay her the existing amount left to cover her expenses until the contract ended. If she backed out, she would have to pay him back in installments or work for him to pay off debts.

In all it seemed ironclad, with no room for misinterpretation regarding what agreement they would be entering into. As far as she could tell she would be getting everything and more than she asked for, and he had not changed what he had asked from her.

After she thought it over, there was nothing she could think to add. She didn't want to seem too eager and she didn't want to agree to anything unless she had someone else look at it. She would wait for Ruby to get home before she made any further decisions.

–

She had spent the day cleaning and reading, waiting for the hours to tick by and for Ruby to come home. When she finally walked through the door around two thirty, she jumped up. “I got the contract.”

Ruby stilled in the doorway, letting it sink in before she shut the door and grinned. “It's about damn time! Does everything look good?”

She nodded. “I think so. I was hoping you could read through it just to make sure I didn't miss anything?”

“Of course.” She shrugged off her shoes and sat on the couch next to Belle, who handed her the laptop with the contract pulled up. “Jesus, how many pages is this thing?”

“It's really no wonder it took him so long.”

Ruby chuckled, slowly reading each page until she got to the end. “This man must be good at what he does. No wonder he has money. I have never seen a contract this complex. The longest one I signed was three pages and I've never had them notarized before.”

“So should I sign it?” She watched her friends face for any kind of tell.

She shrugged, handing the laptop back. “I don't see why not. He seems a bit anal, so if you can deal with that and are okay with all of his terms then go for it. It doesn't seem like he's taking advantage of you at all.” She patted her shoulder before she disappeared into the kitchen.

She clicked reply to the email and stared at the blinking cursor.

_Rumpelstiltskin,_

_I have read the contract and everything looks fair to me. I have nothing to add. My full name is Isabelle Marie French. I am unsure what your availability is like, but here is mine: I am free tomorrow after 8 PM. Friday I am available before 11 AM. Sunday I am available after 2 PM. I could also do lunch on Monday. Please let me know if you have a preference._

_Sincerely,_

_Belle_

She clicked _send_ and shut her laptop. He must be a busy man, so she had no idea when she could expect a response. She hadn't expected the buzz of her phone minutes later, signaling an email. She opened it, finding he had already replied.

_Belle,_

_Let's do dinner on Sunday at 7 PM at the Enchanted Forest. Please let the host know you are there for a reservation under Rumpelstiltskin. I will finalize the contract and have it ready to sign._

_Sincerely,_

_Rumpelstiltskin_

She bit her lip at the thought of seeing him again. He was older, established and very proper. It was kind of exciting that everyone would think he was dating her, of all people. A broke college student trying to get her masters, with nothing to her name. Maybe that was easier for him. Someone with a clean slate who didn't have any records.

There was one thing she knew for sure. It was going to be an interesting year.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, our favorite couple didn't make an appearance here. However, the next chapter will be all them. :-D


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to all for the lovely kudos and comments, you're all so lovely! Here's another long chapter I couldn't split in two.

With how much she was working, the days flew by until it was already Sunday. Belle stood in front of her closet, having already done her makeup and hair. She left her makeup similar to her last meeting with Rumpel, but this time she let her hair fully down in loose curls. Ruby had told her to wear the tight fitting black dress that showed off her boobs, but she adamantly refused. The Enchanted Forest was on the nicer side, so she was definitely not going to wear something that was too revealing.

Instead she opted for her yellow a-line dress that ended mid thigh and had a lace finish at the top around her shoulders and back. She always enjoyed the way it contrasted with her dark hair, but never had a chance to wear it as Gaston despised the color. She picked a pair of black heels, smaller than the ones she wore before, and slipped them on. She assessed herself in the mirror, noticing how her black nail polish stuck out like a sore thumb. She thought about removing it, but he hadn't had any issues with it last time, so she shrugged it off.

She grabbed a clutch and called for an Uber, knowing she was not going to make the trek by foot. She probably should have added a clause about him paying for her rides, but in the grand scheme of things it was a minimal expense. She locked up the apartment and waited a few minutes before her Uber showed up. The drive was short and quiet and before she knew it she was inside the Enchanted Forest.

When she walked up to the host, she thought she was in the wrong place. “Jefferson?”

The handsome host grinned. “You remembered.”

She looked around, making sure she was not in Wonderland. “This is the Enchanted Forest, right?”

He chuckled. “It is. He'll explain everything. You can follow me.”

She shook her head of the odd coincidence and walked behind him. The place was smaller, quieter and more private than Wonderland had been. It was very beautiful inside and had mimicked what she would have envisioned an enchanted forest to look like. It reminded her of a really classy Rainforest Cafe as they walked through. He walked to a booth almost hidden in the corner, mostly out of sight to the other customers. He gestured for her to sit with a smile before he walked away.

She turned to see Rumpelstiltskin sitting, browsing on his phone until he noticed her. He set it aside with a hint of a smile and gestured for her to sit. “Please, have a seat.” She slid into the booth, noticing the folder off to the side, no doubt containing the contract. “You look lovely tonight, Belle.”

She could feel the blush on her cheeks at the compliment. “You as well.” And she meant it. He wore another three piece suit, but damn if he didn't pull it off better than anyone else she knew. “So, uh... Jefferson said you'd explain what he was doing here.”

He cracked a small smile, as if he had been waiting for her to say that. “He is my right hand man, so to speak. In addition to seeing to delicate matters such as this, he also co-owns several restaurants with me, this and Wonderland included. I invested in them, he was the executioner.”

She inwardly cringed. “So that whole teacup thing...”

His lips twitched in amusement. “Yes, it was all very humorous to watch.”

She groaned. “Let's hope I don't break anything tonight.”

“Is that usual for you?”

She half-shrugged. “My ex-boyfriend used to call me a walking disaster. I'd say that pretty much sums me up.”

His eyes seemed to bore into her, like a hawk hunting its prey. It was slightly unnerving, how precise it was. “Were you with him a long time?”

The last thing she wanted to do was talk about Gaston, but it was in the contract that they had to disclose information that could potentially influence their arrangement. “Eight years.” She sipped her water, hoping the topic would change.

“He was an idiot.”

Her eyes lifted to his in confusion. “Excuse me?”

His eyes remained on her. “He was an idiot,” he repeated. “Who didn't appreciate what he had.”

She blinked, unsure of what to say, so she didn't say anything. She had grown tired of defending him all these years to her friends; she certainly didn't need to do it to a stranger. “You barely know me.”

He seemed unfazed by the accusation. “Your body language speaks louder than your words do.” She frowned, so he elaborated. “When you think of him your body tenses. You become distant and unsure. No one deserves to feel that way because of someone elses actions. So yes, while I might not know you, I do know that you deserve better than that.”

She was a little mortified that he had picked up on all of that so quickly...and accurately. “I hadn't realized it was so obvious.”

He waved it off. “I make my living off of reading people.”

Even if she wanted to, she wouldn't be able to lie to him. She had a feeling he would sniff out the truth in a heartbeat. Jefferson stepped into view with a knowing smile. “Can I start you off with something to drink? We have a good selection of wines, as you can see from the list here,” he said, gesturing to the wine list in front of her.

Her eyes drifted over the prices before she pushed the wine menu away in shock. “No thank you. I'll stick with water.”

Jefferson's eyes found Rumpel with a smirk. “And for you sir?”

“I was thinking of ordering a bottle. Do you have a wine preference, Belle?”

She found both men staring at her, waiting for her answer. “Uh... I'm not that picky, honestly.” Rumpel raised an eyebrow and both men remained silent, waiting for her to elaborate. “I guess I prefer reds?”

“Is that a question or a statement?”

She could feel the heat burning her cheeks. “I prefer reds,” she declared with a nod.

“We will have a bottle of the Cabernet. You know the one,” Rum said without looking at Jefferson.

“You got it,” he said with a wink to her before disappearing again.

“Is he always so...”

“Yes,” Rum responded, his annoyance obvious. “Always.”

She nodded, taking in the silence as her eyes glanced toward the contract. “So are we going to sign or...” She left it open, having no idea what other reason he could have for waiting to delay the inevitable. The waiting was starting to weigh on her.

He smirked. “Patience, Miss French. I believe in taking my time, enjoying my company. We haven't even had our wine yet.”

She bit her lip and averted her eyes from his, unsure of what to do under his stare. “I just thought you'd want to get it over with is all.”

His lips twitched in amusement. “I am not one who rushes things. I enjoy taking my time and savoring what I have.”

She was becoming more aware of how he had become successful. She felt like he was going to eat her alive and all he was doing was taking her to dinner. The worst part was she was starting to like it. “Good to know.”

Jefferson stepped in with a bottle of wine, pouring each of them a glass. She couldn't help but feel Rum's gaze on her the entire time, making her feel exposed. She watched as he swirled his wine, brought it to his nose and inhaled softly before taking a small sip. He nodded in approval, his eyes on his wine when he set it down. “I unnerve you, don't I?”

When his eyes lifted to her, her own widened. “No,” she immediately denied. When he raised a knowing eyebrow, she sighed. She should have known better than to lie. “Maybe.”

“I have that effect on people.” His fingers played with the stem of his wine glass. “But I don't want to have that effect on you. If we're going to make this work you have to be comfortable around me, or no one will believe we're dating.”

She bobbed her head in agreement, but had nothing to say. Instead she sipped her wine, not partaking in any of the fanfare he did.

“Do you like the wine?” She nodded in response, taking another sip to avoid talking. She was thinking about how well it tasted when he said, “I'm glad. It is a five hundred dollar bottle of wine after all.”

And then she felt a burning in her throat as she nearly coughed up the wine she drank. She took a second to compose herself, noticing he was grinning. _Grinning_. “I'm glad you find me choking on your expensive wine funny.”

His grin didn't disappear. “I like seeing your reactions.” She frowned, wondering if he did it to make himself feel better. “As I was saying, you need to feel comfortable around me. Ask me anything and I'll tell you the truth.”

She briefly eyed the contract again. “But we haven't signed anything yet.”

He shrugged. “We will, I have no doubt about that. So go ahead. Ask me.” He swirled his wine and took another sip.

She had many questions. In fact, all she had were questions for him. She didn't know where to start, but there was one that had been eating away at her since he had agreed to write the contract. “Why me?”

He seemed to think about it before he replied, “Why not you?” There was a pause before he continued. “When I sit with you I am reminded by how good this world can be. When you're surrounded by awful people, it is a breath of fresh air.”

She suspected there were plenty of horrible people in the world, especially at his level of influence. He had pretty much sworn her to secrecy for their agreement. She would be a part of that world, soon enough. “What's your name?”

She stared into his eyes, catching the apprehension in them. “Raghnall Gold.”

She couldn't help but smile at the new information. “That's much better than Rumpelstiltskin. Although I've taken to calling you Rumpel in my head and I'm kind of partial to it now.” He didn't give any indication that he hated it, so she took that as a perfect excuse to continue to use it. “Why don't you ever use your name?”

“Because it was also my father's name and I despise that man with every fiber of my being.”

“Oh,” she said in surprise. He said he was going to be honest, but she hadn't expected that bit of truth. His eyes had turned cold at the mention of his father. “Why?” The question slipped out before she could stop herself, her natural curiosity getting the best of her.

“Because he beat my mother, he beat me and he was a raging alcoholic.”

He said it so matter of fact that she thought she had heard him wrong. His demeanor had changed, though. It was clear he loathed the man and she couldn't blame him. “I'm sorry.”

He shrugged and opened his menu. “It's not your fault.”

She felt bad for bringing it up, not knowing how traumatic it must have been for him growing up. She opened her own menu and decided if he could share, she could too. “I haven't spoken to my father in nine years,” she admitted, shaking her head at how long ago it had been. It felt like a lifetime ago.

“Right around the time you and your ex got together.” There were no accusations in his voice, but she could tell he had his own theories. Hell, her graduating class had them when she skipped town at eighteen to live with her boyfriend in Boston.

“My father got remarried when I was eighteen. The woman he married was... well, she didn't like me. Sometimes I would stay at my friends houses because of the things she would do.” She shook her head of those thoughts. “Right before I graduated high school she convinced him to move into a one bedroom apartment, effectively kicking me out. I bounced around my friends houses for a bit, sleeping on couches until I graduated. Then Gaston—my ex—he offered to have me come live with him in Boston. Granted he was sharing a house with three other guys, but they didn't mind. So I moved in with him. I tried writing and calling my father, but as time got on, he just stopped answering and I stopped trying.”

She dared to lift her eyes to his. There was a softness and sadness in them that she hadn't seen from him before. “And your mother?”

“She passed away when I was nine.” She frowned at the thought. She had lived more of her life without her mother than with her. “She's the reason I want to be a librarian. She used to read to me every night. She loved books just as much as I do. When I'm at the library I feel like I have a piece of her with me. I guess that's why I love it so much,” she thought aloud with a small smile. She wondered what her mother would make of her now, sitting with Rum. She imagined she would find it funny and a worthwhile adventure.

Silence fell over the table and she couldn't help but feel like she had killed the conversation. She continued to read the menu, hoping she would actually have made a choice by the time Jefferson reappeared. Everything was locally sourced and freshly made. There weren't too many choices, so that made it easy on her when she shut the menu.

Jefferson seized the opportunity to show up to the table. “Have you decided on dinner?”

She glanced at Rum who only nodded. “I'll have your pan seared seafood of the day.”

“Excellent choice,” he said with a grin before turning to his boss.

“I'll have the same.” He made some signal with his hand, causing Jefferson to nod and dash away with their menus.

Rum opened the folder on the table, pulling the contract from it and setting it on top. He carefully pulled a pen from his coat jacket and handed it to her with the contract. “Please look through and make sure everything is to your liking, but don't sign until Jefferson comes back.”

She sucked in a breath as the contract sat in front of her. This was it. This was the moment she had been waiting for. She started reading through, noticing he had added the rest of her name and his name in the necessary spots. Everything looked to be what she had read before.

Jefferson reappeared with a smile.

“Any questions?” Rum asked as she clicked the pen and flipped to the last page.

She went to sign, but paused when she passed the clause on confidentiality. “I do have one question, actually.”

“Yes?”

“I know I'll be promising not to tell anyone about our arrangement, but what if someone already knew?” She chewed her lip. She had forgotten that although she told Ruby everything, he didn't know that.

He studied her. “I assume you are talking about the friend who set you up with this to begin with?”

She nodded. “I couldn't not tell her about it. Since we live together for now she would wonder what was going on and where I was. She's done this a few times before and understands that she can't tell anyone. I trust her with my life, I know she'd never say anything.”

He casually tapped his fingers on the table in thought. “Trust is a very important thing.”

She nervously fidgeted with the pen. “I'll understand if you don't want to go through this. It never occurred to me, we tell each other everything, it's always been that way.”

He glanced at Jefferson who only shrugged before he looked back at her. “I'm asking a lot of you, more than necessary. If having a friend to discuss this with makes you feel comfortable about it, I won't take that away from you. As long as she promises to keep it between you two, I'll allow it.”

She nodded, his tone was loud and clear. “I know she will.”

“Any other questions?”

She wracked her brain, but nothing else came to her. “Nope.” She found her name at the bottom and signed before she handed the contract and pen to him.

She watched as Rum signed his name and handed the contract to Jefferson. “He will notarize it and make a copy for you so that you will have one when you leave.”

The waiter gave her a two finger salute before he was off again.

“He is doing a lot of running around tonight,” she observed. He had dashed back and forth with more grace than she possessed and she had been waiting tables for years.

“He gets paid for it,” he said as he poured himself another glass of wine. “He doesn't like sitting still anyway.”

She could only imagine what he was paying Jefferson to do whatever he wanted. “Has he worked for you long?”

He swirled his wine in the glass as he said, “About ten years now. I don't think there is anyone I trust more than I trust him.”

He couldn't have been so bad if the same man had worked with him for so long, she thought. “I'm glad that there's someone you can trust in this world of yours. It must get lonely.”

He snorted. “I prefer my solitude. I also work most hours of the day, it keeps me plenty occupied. When I got divorced I was thrilled.”

“That bad?” She couldn't help but grin when he smirked.

“The worst. She told me she was pregnant so that I would marry her. It wasn't until after that I found out that she lied and even more, she can't have kids. I still tried to make it work, but then I caught her fucking the man who used to have Jefferson's position and that was it. Messy divorce, but with a bit of blackmail I got my way. Now she tries to flaunt Killian around. He was hired by my rival, Cora Mills, so I have to see them at functions from time to time. I've been waiting for my revenge.”

She frowned. “Cora Mills? The mayor's mother?”

He seemed surprised that she knew that bit of information. “Yes. How did you know that?”

“Well...” It was not her news to share, especially when the people involved were very private. “You can't tell anyone.” He raised his hands in surrender. “Regina is dating one of my friends. Has been for about a year now, but neither of them want it out just yet.”

“She was always secretive. Can't say I blame her with a mother like that. God help the man who has to deal with that mess,” he saluted with his wine before taking a sip.

“Woman,” she corrected, earning a raised eyebrow from him. “My friend is a woman.”

“Oh.” He set his wine down and nodded in approval. “I see.” He chuckled. “If Cora knew she would be so _pissed_.”

From what Belle knew of her, she could only imagine. “She's trying to wait until after the election to say anything about it. She thinks Storybrooke might finally be ready for an openly gay mayor.”

“We can hope.”

She felt her shoulders ease slightly. “I was worried you might not be so accepting. My best friend is bi and a lot of people give her shit for it, even today.”

He half-rolled his eyes. “After my mother left and my father abandoned me, I was raised by my two aunts. My aunt Fiona was biologically my aunt and aunt Elspeth was her lover. They tried really hard to convince me they were sisters and then friends, but I was too smart for that. I suppose back then it wasn't as accepted as it is now.” He smiled and she liked the way his eyes lit up at the memory. It made him look younger than he was and even more handsome.

“They sound wonderful.”

“They were,” he confirmed with a nod.

Their moment of happiness was interrupted by Jefferson who set down both of their entrees with a grin. “Bon appetit!”

They thanked him before he disappeared again. The delicious smell of food permeated her nostrils and she had never felt so hungry. She tried not to be too eager as she reached for her silverware and cut into her fish. She hummed as the fish came into contact with her tongue. It had been awhile since she treated herself to seafood and even longer since she had anything as delightful. If this was how she was going to be eating for the next year, Ruby wouldn't have to worry about her losing weight once she left.

They ate in peaceful silence and Belle was happy to enjoy her meal without any expectations. Anytime Gaston took her out he expected something and she always felt compelled to give it. For the first time, she felt relief in not having to experience that again. Rum wouldn't expect anything but her company.

She noticed he had finished his meal right after her with a satisfied nod. “I hope everything was to your liking.”

She nodded. “Oh, yes. It was amazing, best seafood I've ever had.”

“I'll give your compliments to the chef,” Jefferson said as he stepped into view, an envelope in his hands. The contract, she suspected. He extended it to her and she took it, setting it beside her purse. “Would you like dessert? We make a really good tiramisu.”

“No, I'm pretty full. Thank you though.”

He grinned, piling their plates high before he left.

“You should find my card in there as well with my office number and my personal cell. Please send me yours as soon as possible so I can get a hold of you if need be.”

That made sense, they couldn't only talk via email. “Do you have a schedule of events or things you need me for? It would be easier to figure out my work schedule if I knew ahead of time.”

He nodded. “I'll send it to you tonight. The next event I have isn't for a couple of weeks, but I think we should still meet up so you can get comfortable with me. I don't think it'll happen if we continue doing it this way. I think we should do something more intimate.”

She stilled, having no idea what his idea of intimate was. “Like?”

“Doing something together. Going to a museum, taking a boat ride. Dinner at my house or your apartment,” he elaborated, causing her to relax.

Simple date ideas she could work with. “I've never been on a boat before.” Despite living near the water, she had only accessed it from a beach. Her father, nor any of her friends, were ever rich enough to afford a boat and she was never friends with the popular kids who did own boats. “I'm working odd hours this weekend, though. I get out before lunch Friday. What time will you be done with work? We can always go out for a night cruise. Or just dinner at your place if that's easier on your schedule.” She bit her lip, hoping she didn't sound like she was trying to tell him what to do.

His lips twitched in a small smile. “It's supposed to be great weather on Friday for a boat ride. I haven't had a chance to enjoy it this year.”

She couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. She couldn't tell if she was bouncing in excitement or if she only thought she was. “What time?”

“Is one enough time for you to get ready?”

She blinked in confusion. “In the afternoon? Don't you have to work?”

“I'm the boss. I don't have anything that can't be moved until later. Why waste such a lovely day?” His grin told her that he was enjoying this far too much.

“One works for me,” she agreed.

He stood with a grin, waiting as she gathered her things and stood. “I'll walk you to your car if that's all right with you.”

She shrugged, leading the way out of the restaurant. “I don't have one. I usually walk or take the bus. I'm going to call an Uber, you don't need to wait for me.”

He scoffed, waiting until they were outside to say, “Nonsense. I have a driver, we will take you home. I'll give you his number when I forward my schedule. You can call upon him any time if you need.”

“Thanks, but I don't think that's necessary.” She gave him a thankful smile.

“I insist. Also, the only one who knows of our arrangement is Jefferson. As far as Mr. Dove is concerned, he thinks I have been dating someone, but hasn't been able to prove it. Tonight, I'm going to give him proof.” He grinned and she knew that there was no more discussion to be had.

There were worse things than getting a free ride home from your pseudo boyfriend, so she followed him to the sleek black car waiting out front. A tall, broadly built man appeared from the drivers side, walking around to open the door. “I hope you had a lovely-” he paused when he noticed Belle, “time.”

She tried not to smile at the man's shocked expression. “I'm Belle,” she introduced herself, extending her hand for him to shake.

“Mr. Dove,” he immediately replied, taking her hand in a quick hand shake.

She glanced at Rum briefly. “Do you have a first name or does he make you guard it with your life like he does?”

The drivers eyes darted to her companion who merely gave him a slight nod. “It's Ben, Miss Belle.”

“Just call me Belle,” she said with a smile. “It's nice to meet you Ben. Rum was telling me that you could give me a lift home. Would you mind dropping me off? I don't want to be too much of a bother. I'm sure you have a family to get home to.”

His eyebrows knit in confusion. “Rum?”

Right, that wasn't actually his name. “That's what I call him,” she explained as she gestured to Raghnall.

He blinked and Belle felt bad for him. It seemed as if he had never been in this position before. “I've got no family. It would be no trouble at all to take you home Miss Belle.” He opened the door wider, looking at everything but her.

“Great.” She slid into the seat while Ben opened the other door for Rum to sit on the other side. When everyone was settled she gave him her address and he drove out of the parking lot. Music was softly drifting from the speakers up front.

“He's not one for social interactions. Makes for a perfect driver, though,” he said as he leaned closer to her so that Ben didn't hear.

She smiled. “He seems very sweet,” she near whispered to him. “But I do wonder what he would've done had I said I wanted a ride back to your place.”

A loud chuckle came from him, surprising her and apparently their driver who's eyes drifted to the rear view mirror to see what was going on. “I don't think his heart could take it.”

She let out a little snicker of her own. The rest of the short ride was silent, with the exception of the music. Before she knew it he had pulled up to her apartment and stopped. “I had a good time tonight. I'll see you Friday,” she said to Rum with a small smile before Ben opened the door to let her out. “Thanks for the ride home Ben. I really appreciate it.”

She leaned up and gave him a very short peck on the cheek. She could see Rum holding back another chuckle as Ben's face went red.

“It's n-no problem M-Miss Belle.”

She shared a conspiring grin with Rum before he shut the door and waved goodbye as she went into her apartment building. She could make him laugh. The thought made her smile. Maybe after all of this she would gain a good friend.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had fun beginning to unravel their pasts, with so much more to go! You'll get more of this pair as the boating trip is up next because I'm impatient.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My god it took me forever to post this. My computer was being such a pain. Anyway, thanks for all the comments and kudos! You guys are great. As a heads up, this gets a bit more real than intended...

Belle had given it a lot of thought, but she finally made up her mind. She was going to quit the diner. The manager had been giving her horrible hours and he was awful to work for. The only reason she put up with it was because she had to. The library would give her fewer hours once she started school, but it was what she wanted to do in the long run. Even if she could only work one day a week, they loved having her. She felt appreciated there and now that she didn't have to worry about money, she could enjoy it more.

After she had put in her notice she breezed into the kitchen, seeing Ruby waiting for the cook to serve up food. Her eyes landed on Belle with a smile. “I can't wait to hear all about your date.”

She smiled at the thought of Rum, but then she remembered... “You can't tell anyone about us. The truth anyway,” she whispered, knowing Ruby knew exactly what she meant.

“Your secret is safe with me,” she said with a nod. “Have any upcoming plans with him?”

She chewed her lip, a smile tugging at the corners. “He's taking me out on his boat on Friday.”

“That's romantic,” she commented as she picked up a dish.

“It'll be nice,” Belle said with a nod. “I'm pretty excited about it. Are you going out to Archie this weekend?”

“Yeah, I'm slowly taking my stuff there. Which reminds me. I want to do a girls night before I leave. I think three weeks is enough notice for them right?”

“I think so,” she shrugged. “Can we do it on a Friday? I think Rum has stuff coming up the next few Saturdays that he needs me for.” He had sent her his schedule as promised, and she was surprised at how many functions were on there. He was indeed a busy man.

Ruby grinned. “I bet he does. Try not to get too horny on the boat,” she said with a wink as she darted away before Belle could slap her.

–

It wasn't until Wednesday that Belle and Ruby were home together, eating one of Belle's homemade meals that Ruby had brought up Rum.

“So have you googled him?”

“What? Why would I do that?”

Her friend looked at her as if she had three heads. “As soon as I got his name I googled Archie. You have to make sure he's legit and all that. What if he is a crime lord or something?”

She rolled her eyes. “He is not a crime lord. Besides, he doesn't give out his first name to anyone. I don't think I could look him up based on his last name alone.”

“So do his first initial. It's out there somewhere. If he's as important as he claims, there has to be loads on the guy.” She watched as Ruby took a giant bite of her lasagne and shook her head.

“His name is Mr. Gold. Does that ring any bells with you?”

Ruby's fork dropped onto her plate. “You're kidding.”

Belle wracked her brain, trying to figure out why she should find it familiar. “No.”

Ruby picked up her phone and started typing and shoved it into Belle's face. “Is this him?”

She looked at the screen, seeing Rum in one of his usual three piece suits. He wasn't smiling, which seemed appropriate given what she had known of him so far. “Yeah.”

“You have no idea who he is,” she stated, earning a shrug from her. “How do you not know who he is?” She shrugged again. “He owns Dark Castle. They own a huge amount of wine, liquor and beer companies. He opened up an office here and created a fuck ton of jobs like six years ago. He came from nowhere. He is Storybrooke's most eligible bachelor and no one knows anything about him, other than he's super rich, super secretive and there's plenty of rumors about how exactly he became so wealthy.”

“Like what?”

Ruby leaned forward, clearly enraptured by the tales. “I've heard a few things. There's rumors he is using his company as a legitimate front for the mob, for starters. It makes sense, look at how he dresses.”

She rolled her eyes. “I doubt it. A mob boss in Storybrooke? I don't think so.”

“Why not? It's the perfect place to lay low!” She threw her hands up. “Also according to rumors, he used to be a criminal defense attorney. He made some connections, got involved with that crowd and capitalized on it. His company allegedly is a front for a huge drug cartel.”

She chewed her lasagna and shook her head. “You really think Regina would just let that happen?”

“She's probably trying to get proof. You know how those types are, they're sneaky.”

She stared at her friend with a frown. “Are there any believable rumors about him or just those crazy ones?”

“They're totally believable, but fine. There are plenty of rumors about how he uses his cane to beat people into submission. Is that dull enough for you?”

She tried to imagine him wielding the cane as a weapon, but he seemed too composed to lose his cool like that. “I suppose. Did you ever think that maybe they're all just rumors and he's a normal guy who likes his privacy?”

Ruby snorted. “You always try and see the best in people. I'll never understand it.”

She shrugged. “You don't have to. I'll prove to you that he just owns Dark Castle, legitimately, without any criminal interference. Then you can stop with these ridiculous rumors.”

She paused for a moment as if she had just thought of something. “Damn it! Imagine all the free wine you could get! You couldn't have done this sooner?” She groaned, violently digging into her lasagne.

She knew Ruby loved her wine and took another bite with a smile. “There's always Christmas.”

Her friend glared at her as she finished off her meal. “I can see why he'd want to get off the market. He's been an eligible bachelor for a few years now. There are a lot of women who would love to sink their claws into him.”

“Poor guy,” she frowned as she got up to put the dishes away.

Ruby snorted. “Yeah what a poor soul. He has more money than he knows what to do with. And he's probably a criminal too.”

Belle ignored her as she loaded the dishwasher. “Doesn't mean he can't get lonely from time to time.”

–

Belle had rinsed off quickly after her shift at the diner and found herself standing at her closet. She was going out on a boat for the first time ever. It was almost ninety out and there were clear blue skies. Ruby had told her she needed to step out of her comfort zone for once but she was reluctant to do so.

This outing was as close to a vacation as she was going to get and she wanted to enjoy it. She had a one piece bathing suit, but she knew she shouldn't wear it. The whole reason she was going out on the boat was so that she could feel comfortable with him. If they weren't having sex, the next best thing she could do to feel comfortable around him was wear the least amount of clothing possible. She was going to have to push her limit.

She had a deep blue bikini that brought out her eyes and if she was honest, her boobs looked amazing in it. She put it on, finding that it still fit. He had been married before and therefore was not a stranger to the female body, so there was that. It wasn't as if Gaston had found her attractive enough to stay. She could only imagine Odette in a bikini. She probably looked a lot like Gisele Bundchen, now that she thought about it.

She threw on a white and black cover up. It still plunged to show her breasts, but otherwise it covered her front and back and went to her thigh. She slid on a pair of flip flops and grabbed Ruby's tan sun hat before she sat on the couch to wait.

She had barely been sitting for five minutes before she got the text that Rum had arrived. She grabbed her purse and locked the door, bouncing down the stairs to the front. Ben was outside waiting, opening the door for her when she arrived. “How are you today Ben?”

He offered her a friendly smile, but his eyes could barely meet hers. “Good. How are you Miss Belle?”

“Just Belle,” she reminded him. “And good so far. Can't wait for my first boat ride.”

He nodded, closing the door as she sat and buckled herself in. She noticed Rum on the other side in a pair of white shorts, loafers and a light blue button down short sleeve shirt. She couldn't hide her surprise if she wanted to. “Never thought I'd see you out of a suit.”

She could tell his eyes gave her a once over, but gave no indication of his thoughts. “No use being on a boat if I'm in a suit.”

She couldn't agree more as she noticed the basket in between them. “What's this?”

He shrugged. “Wine. Snacks for the boat. We should be relaxing after all.”

She couldn't help but grin. “This is like a mini vacation for me.” She watched as the world whizzed by as Ben drove them toward the sea.

“You consider this a vacation?” She turned to him, seeing his frown. “When was the last time you went on vacation?”

She pursed her lips in thought. “Never I guess. My father couldn't afford to take us anywhere, especially once mum died. Gaston never wanted to go anywhere, so we stayed in Boston. I was usually busy working or in class all the time anyway, it's not like I got much time off.”

His eyes softened. “I have a lovely cabin a couple hours away on a secluded lake. I'll have to take you there sometime.”

She smiled at the thought. “Sounds like a perfect place to read.”

He said nothing more for the rest of their drive. She excitedly watched as the sea came into view and then the marina as Ben drove in. “Mr. Dove will be the captain of our boat as well,” he explained as all of them exited the car.

She thought it was weird that he wanted someone to drive the boat as well, but shrugged it off. It was his money, not hers. She walked down the dock with him when they stopped. She looked around, only to find very large boats all around. She watched as Ben stepped onto the yacht in front of her.

A lavish yacht.

She turned to Rum, her jaw tight. “You told me you had a _boat_.” She had imagined a quaint boat ride with the two of them. Not a boat ride on an extravagant display of wealth.

He grinned, stepping onto the yacht before her. “I do. Welcome to Baelfire.”

Her jaw dropped as she surveyed it. “This is not a boat. It's a yacht.”

He shrugged. “It's a smooth ride.” His smirk returned as she walked aboard. She wanted to smack him. He enjoyed her reaction far too much for her liking. He knew full well that she would or should be impressed by a yacht. “Mr. Dove will be taking us out for a nice ride, so we can do whatever we like. Let me take you on a tour.”

As Ben prepared the yacht, Rum showed her around. It had bathrooms, with a shower and everything, a kitchen nicer than the one in her apartment, bedrooms and a living area. At the end of it, all she could say was, “This is bigger than my apartment.”

He grinned and his chest puffed out slightly. It reminded her of Gaston, in a bad way. “Cost more too.”

Like with Gaston, it was just money to them. A reminder that she didn't belong in that world. Even though that was the point, she didn't like the sinking feeling in her stomach that he could be just like the man who treated her as an afterthought.

“I'm going up front to enjoy the sun.” She grabbed a towel from the bathroom on her way out, finding the boat was starting to make its way out of the harbor. She found a lounger at the front of the boat and laid the towel on it before she stretched out. The sun was like a warm blanket across her skin. The slight breeze as they made their way out to sea was a nice contrast to the heat.

She heard the clack of his cane before she saw him. She could see him in her peripheral vision, but chose to stay silent as she watched the endless sea in front of them.

“I've upset you.”

She glanced at him before her gaze went back to the ocean. There was no denying it. “Yes.”

She heard him sigh as he sat into the lounger next to her. “I didn't mean to.”

She frowned, her eyes finding his. “I know, it's just hard to get used to.”

He nodded, his face turning contemplative. “I'm sorry. If you were to ask anyone who knows me, they wouldn't be surprised. I've been told it's my default setting.”

His apology was somewhat sincere, but she fought the urge to roll her eyes. “That doesn't make it okay and it's certainly not an excuse.”

There was a pause and she waited for him to yell at her. It was his yacht and his money that was funding their excursion. He wasn't paying her so that she could tell him how to act, after all. “You're right,” he agreed, earning a surprised look from her. “What did I say? What did I do wrong?”

She looked away from him and sighed. She didn't want to say it out loud, she didn't want him to know what kind of power he had, or what kind of person she had been.

“I know you have a lot of money. You know I don't have any money. That's why we're in this position. But for you to flaunt it... to really point out how much better you are? It makes you like him. It makes me that girl. Your almost whore. And let's face it, I'll probably be that at some point too, because I don't know how to say no. I'd be stupid to think that we could do this for a whole year and I wouldn't cave at some point.”

She pulled her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, hoping to provide herself some comfort. She remembered how easily she caved to Gaston the first time and every time after. Rum was charming and provided her a sense of comfort that she desperately wanted. Gaston had done the same thing nine years ago when she was a desperate teenager in need of a place to stay.

The only thing she heard was the sound of the waves against the yacht as they cruised through the ocean. She was grateful for everything he was offering her, she knew she would've been crazy not to take it, but that hadn't made it any easier for her to accept it.

“I'm sorry,” he said again, his voice gravelly. This time she believed it. “You're not that girl. You're not a whore, Belle. I would never...”

The rawness of his voice made her heart clench and she looked at him. There were questions swirling in his eyes, along with sadness. “I know.” She focused on the sea again. She wasn't sure how she knew, but she knew he would never force her to do anything. Despite the fact that it was in the contract, he was nothing like Gaston.

“Did your ex... did he...”

She knew the lingering question, she could feel it in his eyes, burning into her skin with the sun. “I never really said no. It was just easier to go with it instead of giving excuses. When I moved in it was implied. I wasn't able to pull my weight financially at first, but I didn't mind so much. I was new to it all, so it was exciting. I should've known he was going to leave me. We hadn't had sex in weeks and I was so happy, I didn't even realize it. I didn't realize that it had become such a chore.”

She had never admitted it out loud, but as she said the words they hung in the air. It was one of the parts of her relationship that she didn't want to think about, didn't want to believe it.

“Just because you didn't say no, doesn't mean it was okay.

She nodded at his words, but didn't have any of her own to offer. She couldn't help herself as she thought about Gaston. The ways he used her, the ways he made her feel special, the way he tossed her aside like their time together had been a stepping stone for him. She hated the way the tears welled in her eyes. She willed them back, pleaded with herself to breathe normally, but her body ignored her pleas as the hot tears flowed down her cheeks.

“Belle...”

She didn't turn to him. She didn't want him to see her like this. He shouldn’t have to see her like this. Instead of walking away she could feel the lounger dip beside her. His arm wrapped around her and she buried her face into his shoulder, feeling the comforting way he rubbed her back to soothe her.

“I'm so sorry,” he murmured into her ear.

She couldn't bring herself to say anything, but the only words that came to mind were his own. _It's not your fault_.

There was a brief moment of silence but he continued to hold her and rub her back as the tears fell. “I know what it's like to love someone who doesn't love you,” he admitted. She sniffled, but made no move to pull herself from him. “I met my ex-wife, Milah, when we were teenagers, not long after I moved to the states with my aunts. She was beautiful and witty and for some reason wanted to date me. If you can imagine, I was not much of a looker then, either, so I felt like the luckiest man in the world. I loved her more than anything.

She could feel the tears slowing, only stray ones falling onto her cheeks as he spoke. She could feel him sigh before he continued.

“We would constantly break up and get back together. It wasn't until we had been dating awhile that she suddenly wanted to get married because she was pregnant. I was overjoyed, I had always wanted a family. After that I found out she was sleeping with Killian and had lied about the pregnancy. She knew I was going to make it big and she wanted the money. She had been sleeping with him for a couple of years, turns out, even when we were together. The divorce was nasty, she tried everything she could to slander my name. She was only with me because she came from a poor family too and she knew I was going to be successful. It wasn't until after that I realized everything I loved about her was a lie made to catch me in her web and the person I loved never really existed in the first place.”

She found the energy to pull away, wiping her tear stained cheeks. “And since then you have loved no one and no one has loved you.”

He cracked a small, sad smile. “She never loved me to begin with.”

She frowned, still sniffling away the rest of her tears. “That's why you needed a contract. You don't trust anyone.”

He grinned. “Exactly. Many women have tried, but they only want my money. If that's the case, I might as well help someone who needs it.”

Her lips twitched at his cheery tone. He was trying to be nice. “But what about having a family?"

He chuckled as he stood. “I let that dream die with my divorce. I've accepted that I'll be an eternal bachelor. There are worse things in life.” He grabbed his cane and gestured behind him. “I'm going to grab us some water.”

Before she could say anything, he walked off of the deck. She was sure she looked like a mess, she definitely felt like one. She rarely cried in front of Gaston, mostly because he ran at any sign of emotion. She looked at the empty lounge chair next to her and bit her lip. Out of their eight years together, Gaston had never comforted her when she cried.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally none of this was supposed to happen, but it wrote itself and it just kind of fit what I wanted. We're not done yet, though! Next up: out on the boat part 2.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updating early because holiday weekends are nuts! It's a bit shorter than usual, but it's a fun chapter I think! I appreciate all the comments and kudos. Happy Easter all!

He returned with a glass of water for both of them before he sat back in his lounge chair. “I know this is supposed to be a fun outing, but I'm afraid we will need to discuss some business.”

She shrugged as she sipped on her water, gazing across the ocean. “I think I'll survive,”' she said with a smile.

He smirked. “There is an event coming up next Saturday. It's a thank you to my existing clients, suppliers, etcetera. It is also a schmoozing event to try and get new clients. Normally I would brief you, but I think that will undermine what I hope to do. So I'm not going to tell you about what I hope to accomplish. I'm going to let you be yourself and that should be enough.”

“Are you hoping to lose clients?” She said with confusion. “Because I'm not smooth enough to help with the schmoozing.”

He let out a short chuckle. “You're exactly what I need. Just be yourself and try and have a good time. I'm going to text you the name and number of the woman who will help with your dress. She handles my suits and will be your go to person for every event. She has my card on file, so don't worry about it.”

That was easy enough for him to say. He had been to these things plenty of times. “Is your ex-wife going to be there?”

He huffed. “No. I thought I would ease you into it before I walked you into a nest of vipers. Everyone at this party is relatively harmless.”

At least she didn't have to worry about her, so that was a small relief. “Anything else I should know?”

He shrugged. “We should probably discuss how we should act as a couple. We should make sure we're both on the same page.”

“Okay,” she agreed. “How do you want me to act?”

“Whatever you're comfortable with. I'm normally very secretive about my life. I want to stay that way, but I will make it obvious that we are together.”

She figured she'd find out what that meant when the time came. “I'm fine with being private. If I'm going to be honest I might get a little nervous, so I might not leave your side. Gaston used to get annoyed because I would get a bit clingy, he said.” She almost winced at the memory. “If I do that you can let me know and I'll stop. Sometimes I don't even realize I do it.”

There was silence, so she looked at him. He was staring ahead at the ocean, no indication he had heard her. He was probably rethinking his plans already, but at least she was being honest. He knew what he would be getting into.

“I won't stop you,” he commented so softly she almost didn't hear him. “I'm supposed to be happily in this new relationship. What message would it send if I didn't want you touching me?”

No one had given it a second thought when she was with Gaston, but he wasn't under the microscope like Rum was. The beginning of the relationship was always the most exciting, usually a time you couldn't keep your hands off of each other. “As long as you're prepared.”

Silence formed between them and she could feel the sun beating down on her with each passing second. She looked around the deck and then back to Rum. “Do you have any sunscreen? I didn't bring any and I'm going to look like a lobster if I don't put any on.”

He nodded and she watched as he stood and walked to the side of the deck and pulled out two bottles of sunscreen from a chest. He handed one to her before he sat on the lounge chair again to apply his own. “Good idea.”

She bit her lip as she stared at the bottle. Ruby would have taken off her cover up five minutes into getting on the boat. She had nothing to be shy about and women everywhere wore bikinis on beaches in front of strangers all the time. It would be a step closer to feeling more comfortable around him. She didn't have any plans to be naked around him any time soon if at all, so half-naked would have to do.

“If I took off my cover up would you mind getting my back?”

He paused and stared at her, almost as if he hadn't realized she was wearing a cover up. “Of course,” he agreed before he continued putting on his own sun block.

She blew out the breath she didn't realize she was holding and set down her bottle. She had nothing to be ashamed of. She grabbed the end of her cover up, hesitating slightly before she pulled it over her head and set it on the back of her chair. He paused very briefly when he applied his sunscreen, so brief she almost missed it.

She grabbed the bottle and applied sunscreen to her legs, stomach, arms and then her face. She swallowed the courage to look at him again, only to find him already staring at her. “Could you?” She asked as she gestured to her back.

He nodded and moved to her as she lifted her hair out of the way so he could easily get her neck and back. There was a brief pause before she felt the cool tingle of the sunscreen on her neck. He rubbed it in with care, applying more to his hands before he rubbed his hands across her shoulders, his thumbs rubbing into her shoulder blades. He continued the motions, digging his fingers in harder each time as if he were giving her a massage. His thumbs slid up the side of her neck and down the back and she felt muscles she hadn't even realized were sore.

With each repetitive movement she could feel her shoulders relaxing, loosening. His hand slipped down to her shoulder blades, curving along them before they disappeared. She felt another cold tingle in the middle of her back as he spread more sunscreen across, carefully dipping underneath the string of her bikini before he went down, down... She let out a soft whine as his thumbs dove into her lower back where apparently she held a lot of her stress. He continued his circles and her eyes drifted shut in relaxation.

Between the sound of the waves, the warmth of the sun and the firmness of his touch, she didn't realize she had been unsteady until his hands firmly grasped her hips. “Whoa, there.”

She dropped her hair and blinked in surprise. Once it seemed she was steady his hands went back to his sides. Before she could think about her words she said, “I should have let you apply sunscreen everywhere.” She stiffened when she realized she said it out loud.

A soft chuckle came from behind her. “You were definitely a little tense.”

She nodded, eyeing him in his shorts and t-shirt. “Why don't you take off your shirt? It's only fair.”

He arched an eyebrow at her. “I didn't ask you to take off your cover up,” he reminded her. “Besides, you'd rather wish I kept it on.”

She rolled her eyes. “We're supposed to be comfortable around each other. That's the whole point of today.”

He sighed, leaning forward as he started to unbutton his shirt. “You asked for it.”

She tried not to stare at him as he undid every button, but she was curious. He shrugged out of his shirt and laid it behind him. He wasn't hiding a six pack or muscle, but he wasn't too flabby either. He clearly tried to keep up with his figure, but it was obvious he wasn't a twenty-something anymore. “Isn't that better?”

He looked unamused. “As long as it makes you comfortable.”

She bit her lip to keep herself from smiling. He wasn't confident with his body like he was with his job. “Why don't we take a picture together?”

“I don't think so. You are on a very, very short list of people who have seen me shirtless. I don't intend on that growing.”

He definitely didn't like her idea. It made her grin. “I could be blocking you. C'mon, you never know when it'll be useful.”

“In what scenario will it ever be useful?”

She shrugged. “I don't know, sometimes it is. Just one picture. Please?”

He sighed again and reached for his phone. “One picture. Only on my phone.”

She kind of wanted a picture for herself, but she couldn't be choosy now. “Sit up, I have to be in front of you if this is going to work.”

He sat up and scooted forward, giving her an open spot to sit between his legs. She could feel the warmth of his body against her back, but was careful not to actually touch him. He handed her his phone, already on the camera. She held it up and smiled into the camera, turning into a frown when she noticed he was staring into the camera with his usual flat look. “Can't you smile? We're supposed to be happy.”

She noticed his slight eye roll in the camera. “You're really asking for a lot here.”

She grinned wider, watching as he gave a small smile to the camera as she snapped the picture. She brought up the picture and handed him his phone. “See? That wasn't so hard.”

She moved to sit in her own chair, knowing she was pushing her limits with him as it was. “I hate having my picture taken,” he admitted with a scowl as he put his phone away.

“Maybe if you didn't look so miserable all the time, you would enjoy how they turn out.” Her thoughts spilled out before she had a chance to stop them. She was almost worried she offended him, but she noticed the smirk on his lips and felt herself relax.

“You sound like Jefferson.”

She laid her head against the chair as she smiled. “You say that like it's a bad thing.”

An amused huff escaped his lips. “He'd be delighted to know that you think it's a good thing.”

She liked Jefferson from their brief encounters and took it as a compliment. “I'm sure I'll get to know him over the next year.”

He chuckled. “I have no doubt. He loves to be the center of attention and he loves making friends with everyone. He also loves to talk talk about himself and Grace, so I'm sure you'll know his entire life by the time this is over.”

“Who's Grace?”

She noticed the way his lips curved into a relaxed smile. “His daughter. She's four. She calls me uncle Gold.” He spoke with the pride of a father and she couldn't help but feel happy that he at least had that.

“Is it just him and Grace?”

He nodded. “Her mother passed away when she was a baby, drug overdose. She battled with addiction for a long time but managed to stay clean during the pregnancy. She couldn't give it up I guess.”

She frowned as she thought of her own mother. “I wish I could have had more time with my mom. My dad was great growing up, don't get me wrong, but we're different people. He always told me I was just like my mother.” She grinned at that. He would always say her nose was in a book 'just like your mother', and she was so happy and carefree, 'just like your mother', he'd say with a chuckle.

“You miss him.”

She could hear the confusion in his voice and turned to him, only to see it written on his face. “Of course I do.”

He frowned. “Why? He cut you out of his life.”

She shrugged. “As I got older, he got lonely. I reminded him a lot of my mom. He wouldn't admit it, but it was hard for him. Then he found Mal. She was a delight in front of my father, but when he wasn't around she made it clear that she would be the only woman in his life. He was so happy, the happiest I had seen him in so long I didn't want to hurt him, I didn't think he'd believe me anyway. She slowly inched me out and my dad was clueless.”

There was silence before he said, “I'd still hate him.”

She had no doubt there were very few people in the world that he didn't hate. “I was upset for awhile, but there was nothing I could do about it. It helped that I had friends and Gaston's family was lovely. His dad was a man of few words, but he was nice. I really liked his mom, she was loud and obnoxious but she always made me feel like part of the family. And his grandparents were adorable. His grandma is the sassiest person I know, and that's saying a lot because I know Ruby,” she joked. “It was always just my dad and I, so it was nice being a part of a family. It helped numb the pain.” It was another reason she was devastated when Gaston had ended things. She not only lost him, but the only family she had left.

He hummed in response, but offered nothing else. It was oddly comforting to share her life with someone other than her friends who had lived it with her. He didn't seem to judge her or care that she brought up Gaston far more than she should have. It wasn't like she could ignore his existence, she had shared eight years of her life with him after all.

She heard heavy footsteps before she saw Ben appear around the corner. His eyes widened as they flickered between them in shock before they immediately flew to the ground.

“I've anchored us here for now, Mr. Gold. Is there anything I could get you?”

“No thank you, Mr. Dove.”

He turned to leave before Belle shouted, “Wait!” which startled both Rum and the larger man. “Why don't you enjoy the sun out here with us? It's such a lovely day, it would be a shame to miss it.”

His eyes drifted to Rum. It was obvious he didn't want to disrespect his employers girlfriend, but she also wasn't the one who paid him.

“It's okay, Dove. Pull up a chair if you want to, but don't feel like you're being bullied into it.” There was a slight teasing note to his words, earning a scoff from her.

“Ben, would you like to join us?”

He shuffled his feet before he shyly nodded and pulled up his own chair to sit down next to Rum. He looked stiff in his seat, almost as if he didn't know how to relax. He was a large man in stature, but a gentle giant for sure. She knew plenty of girls who would love a sensitive guy like him.

She grinned at the idea. “Do you have a girlfriend Ben?”

His eyes widened as he shook his head. Rum was clearly biting back a grin. “No, Miss Belle.”

“Do you want one?”

Both men's heads snapped in her direction. Rum grinned. “Are you offering? And here I thought you were happy with me.”

She playfully rolled her eyes at him before she turned her attention to Ben.

“N-no Miss Belle. I'm not... I mean I'm...” He looked away shyly.

“Oh!” She said, suddenly understanding. “You have a boyfriend!”

“What?” His face froze, while Rum let out a chuckle. “No. I prefer women. I-I... I'm not good with them. They make me nervous.”

She grinned. “That's all?”

He looked up at her in confusion. “I make an idiot of myself.”

Her heart went out to him, knowing exactly what it felt like. “Do you know what I did on our first date?” She said gesturing between her and Rum. He shook his head. “I spilled my water everywhere. I broke a teacup. I made a complete idiot out of myself. And look! Here we are.”

“Really?” His eyes lit up as he looked between them.

“Oh aye,” he agreed. “It was endearing.” His eyes met hers, the blush heating her cheeks more than the sun did.

She managed to break away from his stare. “See? I know plenty of nice women. I'll have to set you up sometime.”

His lips twitched into a nervous smile. “O-okay.”

They fell into a peaceful silence after that, enjoying the sun and the slight ocean breeze. The rest of their time on the boat was filled with idle chatter, wine and food. She could get used to this new life of leisure. Most of her life she had been worried about surviving. Even with her fathers flower shop, she had to help him manage the money because he was never a numbers guy. She made sure they paid their rent and had food to eat, even if her father was a meat and potatoes kind of man.

Rum and Ben dropped her off at her apartment after the sun had set. It was quiet and she couldn't help but notice the little things missing here and there that Ruby had packed away to take to New York City. She was going to have to get used to it, this was going to be her life in a few weeks.

She sighed and went to the bathroom to shower all of the sun screen off of her body before she fell into bed with a book.

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all my readers! I appreciate you all! <3

Since they had given their resignation, Ruby and Belle's manager at the diner had cut their hours in retaliation. Instead of working, they found themselves in front of Atlantica on their Tuesday off. It was where Rum had told her to go for a dress for their event Saturday and Ruby had insisted on coming. She hit the button by the door and heard, “Do you have an appointment?”

“It's under Belle French.”

“Perfect! Come on in!”

She and Ruby looked at each other before her friend shrugged and opened the now unlocked door. When she walked in she was impressed with how clean and sophisticated everything looked. A red haired woman walked toward her with a smile.

“Hi, I'm Ariel. I am going to make you look fabulous.” Belle shook her hand, finding it firm and smooth, before Ariel took Ruby's hand. “Which one of you is Belle?”

“Me,” she meekly announced with a slight hand wave.

“Great! We have so much we can work with. Now this is going to be classy, but you still have to impress. It is your first showing after all! I was thinking a classic black dress. Thoughts?”

She blinked, realizing that Ariel had been talking the entire time. “Sounds good.”

“Perfect. I already have the first dress ready to try on, if you just go in here.” Belle walked into the lavish dressing area as the door shut behind her. A lone black dress was sitting on a hanger, waiting for her to try it on. She shed her clothes and slowly put on the dress.

It was a nice dress. It was floor length, clung to her hips and was off the shoulder, giving a good view of her neck since she had her hair pulled up. She walked out of the room, causing Ruby and Ariel to look up.

“You look nice!” Ruby said with a grin. “Really classy.”

Ariel walked around her, chewing on her bottom lip in thought. “You look great, but we can do better.”

That was how it started. She tried on dresses to her thigh, dresses with long sleeves, ones with flowing skirts. She had liked them all, as had Ruby. She thought she looked good in every one, but Ariel wasn't convinced. She could see why Rum liked her—she was a perfectionist when it came to her job. She couldn't argue, Rum looked handsome in every single suit she had seen him in.

“If this doesn't work, then I have no idea,” Ariel said as she hung up the next dress and walked out.

When she looked at herself in the mirror she couldn't help but stare at herself. The dress was a v-neck, floor length, lace dress with a slit on the left where her leg would make an appearance when she walked. She turned around, finding it backless down to the top of her lower back, with only a few strings criss-crossing. She slowly stepped out of the dressing room and turned around.

There was silence until Ruby said, “You look _hot_ in that. And classy. I don't know whether to take you home or out to dinner.”

She grinned at her friends words as Ariel did her usual perusal. She waited for the inevitable rejection, but when she looked to Ariel she was only nodding.

“This is it. This will make him speechless. And everyone else, if I do say so. What do you think?”

She looked down at herself and smiled. “I like it.”

“Do you have a pair of heels to go with this? If you do, I don't see it needing any alterations.”

Ruby snorted. “I swear the only thing she owns are heels.”

“Not now,” she defended as she stuck out her bare foot.

Ruby rolled her eyes. “I live with you. I've seen your shoe rack.”

She shrugged and gave her a sheepish smile. “I guess I'll take this one.”

“Great! Once you take it off I'll box it up for you.”

Belle wasted no time carefully removing the dress and placing it on the hanger before putting on her own clothes. She handed it to Ariel who began putting it in a box for her.

“This place is nice,” Ruby quietly said as they waited.

Belle nodded. “Nicer than anything I've ever been to, that's for sure.”

“You'll get to meet Archie this weekend, if you want.”

She said it so casually, Belle almost hadn't realized what she said. After all this time they had been together, she still hadn't met the elusive Archibald Hopper. “Of course I want to. What's the occasion?”

“He's driving up so we can load up some of my stuff into his car to take it to his place.”

Belle grinned. “I'll get to make sure he has your best intentions in mind.”

Ruby laughed. “Something tells me that you'll like him.”

–

After work on Friday, Belle was buzzing with excitement. Archie was at the apartment and she would get to meet the man that her best friend was leaving for. When she walked into their apartment, she noticed them cuddled on the couch. Ruby turned to her with a smile and nearly jumped off of the couch, holding out her hand to Archie to usher him up. When the older man turned to her, she bit the inside of her cheek to keep her surprise at bay.

Ruby had described him to her, but she realized she never gave much of a physical description. He was slightly taller than Ruby with bright, frizzy orange hair with a receding hairline and dark glasses. He shyly smiled and held out his hand.

“Nice to finally meet you, Belle.”

His voice was very soothing and calming and when she shook his hand, it was soft and supportive, in no way demanding or rough. “Likewise,” she said with a smile. “Although I am sad it's because you'll be taking my best friend away from me.”

He ducked his head as he shyly smiled. “You are always welcome in our home. Please come over any time.”

She was even more surprised that he seemed sincere in his own words. He was not at all what she expected and definitely not the kind of guy Ruby ever dated. “I might take you up on that.”

Their intercom buzzed and Archie pulled away from Ruby. “That'll be our dinner.” He smiled wide at Ruby before he walked out the door.

She arched an eyebrow at Ruby as Archie made his way down to the main entrance.

“We got Chinese food. Hope that sounds good to you.” Ruby brushed past her to set the table.

“He's not what I expected. He seems so normal.”

Her friend snorted. “He is. But you know what they say, it's always the quiet ones.” She wiggled her eyebrows, causing them both to laugh.

Archie walked in with the bags of food, looking between them with a smile. “Did I miss something?”

“I was just telling Belle about how good you are with your tongue,” she teased as she grabbed plates and set them on the table.

Instead of making an obscene comment, he blushed, the red rising to the tips of his ears as he set the food down. She almost felt bad for him, he clearly was no match for her friends behavior. “We've got some lo mein, sweet and sour, general tso's, spring rolls...” he listed as he set the takeout containers on the table.

She and Ruby shared a knowing grin before they sat down at the table. They filled up their plates and began eating in relative silence. She couldn't help but notice the looks that Archie gave Ruby when she wasn't looking. His eyes would settle on her, watching her with a small smile before he realized Belle had caught him and he blushed again.

Ruby would glance at him when he wasn't looking and grin, a softness to her features that Belle rarely saw from her friend. She couldn't help but feel like a third wheel in between their stares.

“Ruby tells me you'll help her start that wolf sanctuary.” It was her job as a best friend to make sure of his intentions, even though it was based on a contract.

“Yes. I do believe wildlife is important and Ruby has opened my eyes to wolves in particular. She has such a passion for them, I would love to help her dreams come true.”

Her mind flashed to Rum, his similar words ringing in her mind. She could only imagine what he would make of the situation if he was there with them. She couldn't help but smile at the thought. He would make both of them uncomfortable, staring them down and having them spill out their whole lives without saying a word.

“Whoa, what is _that_ smile?” Ruby said with raised eyebrows.

She blinked herself of her thoughts and shrugged. “Nothing. It just reminded me of something Rum said, is all.”

Before Ruby could make a smart comment, Archie said, “How is he treating you?” He didn't sound concerned so much as curious and she could tell why he would be such a good psychiatrist.

“Fine. He's respectful.” She still hadn't told Ruby what had happened on the boat and she felt slightly guilty about it. Her friend had been so proud of her, she didn't want her to know that underneath it all she was still sad.

“If he gets out of line, let us know,” Ruby said with a nod.

She looked between the two of them with a frown. “What do you mean?”

Ruby looked to Archie and for once, she wasn't jumping at the chance to share information. “Ruby told me who you were seeing,” Archie admitted. “You hear things in my line of work. I know he's created jobs and all that, but I've heard things.”

“I'm not really one to listen to rumors.”

He sighed. “Neither am I, but I'm afraid some of them are based in reality. Do you know what they call him in the business world, behind his back?” She shook her head. “They call him the Beast. I've heard that he physically assaulted at least one person who worked for him. It's well known that he has a temper. There are several accounts from employees that he is degrading and very demanding.”

Although she could see why people would believe that, she herself couldn't. He was unsettling, but he was too respectful of her to be abusive. “Thanks for the warning, but I'm not afraid of him. He's been nothing but a gentleman.”

“Just let me know if anything happens,” Ruby said. “If I had known all that about him, I wouldn't have encouraged you to date him.”

She couldn't help but give them a half-smile. “I really appreciate you guys worrying over me, but I'll be fine.”

Dinner resumed with chatter of moving and of grand plans, but she couldn't help the nagging in the back of her mind at their words.

Once dinner was cleaned up and hours had passed, Archie announced he was getting ready for bed. When the door shut behind him she turned to Ruby. “He's a nice guy.”

Her friend grinned. “I know,” she said with confidence. She looked away, a smile on her lips.

“You _like_ him.”

Ruby stilled and then shrugged. “Of course I do. He's a great guy.”

Belle couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. “He likes you too.”

Her friend slowly turned to her. “Really?”

Ruby had never been one to live with her heart on her sleeve. She loved cautiously and rarely did anyone see that side of her. “Yeah. I think he would do just about anything for you.”

Ruby grinned. “I've never felt like this before. I thought I've been in love before, but I don't know. He doesn't judge me. He let's me be me and he isn't embarrassed. When we're out, he's _proud_ of me. I've never had that before.”

She remembered a time when Gaston was proud to have her on his arm. The way he would introduce her, the grin on his face when other guys would notice her. Once upon a time, she was that girl. “I'm really happy for you.”

Her friend wrapped her arms around her in a crushing hug before pulling away. “I should probably follow his lead. It'll be a long day tomorrow and we want an early start.”

“Good night,” she called as Ruby slipped into her bedroom. She trudged into her own bedroom, intent on reading a book before she fell asleep. She didn't have to work tomorrow, so all she had to worry about was the gala for Rum.

She chewed her lip at the thought of him. She never wanted to put stock into rumors, but sometimes there was a kernel of truth in them. He had promised to be truthful to her, the contract demanded it. She had never felt afraid or in danger in his presence. Uncomfortable, sure, but never threatened.

How could she go with him tomorrow and act like she had never been told this news? She wasn't a good actress, she never could hide her emotions. The last thing they needed was for her to look uncertain.

She stared at her phone. If she asked him over the phone and he lost his temper, at least she wouldn't be near him. It was late, but she got the impression that he didn't sleep much. She quickly shot him a text asking if he was awake.

A minute later she received his response. _Yes._

That's usually how his replies went. They had briefly texted the whole week, mostly pleasantries. _How are you?_ Or _How is work?_ With the responses of _Good_ or _Fine_.

_I need to talk to you._

She only hoped he was up for a conversation. Less than a minute later her phone was ringing, much to her surprise. She quickly answered. “Hello.”

“Is everything all right?” His tone was tired, but not annoyed. He most likely had a long day.

“Yeah,” she said with not much conviction. “I have a question.”

“I suspect that's why you wanted to talk.” She could feel his grin through the phone.

“I...I've heard some things about you. I wanted to know if they were true or not.”

There was silence for awhile before she heard him sigh. “Most likely,” he admitted. “What have you heard?”

He sounded resigned, as if he had been waiting for this moment. “I heard that you assaulted one of your employees.”

There was another pause. “That's true.” She felt her heart stop at that admission. She had hoped that was a lie. “It was Killian. I had found out he had been fucking my wife for years and he waltzed into my office ready to start the day. I lost it. I hit him with my cane and he went to the hospital for a broken nose and a concussion. He was paid handsomely to keep quiet.”

She winced at that mental image. She could see him, in a fit of rage, beating his wife's lover into a bloody pulp. “You can't just beat people, even if they deserve it.”

He hummed in agreement. “I went to anger management. I've been in therapy. I know it was wrong, but I don't regret it.”

It didn't make her feel better, but at least she knew the truth. “I also heard that you're not very nice to your employees.” She felt ridiculous saying it, knowing Jefferson had been working with him for ten years.

At that, he chuckled. “I have been known to yell at them from time to time. Good help is hard to find and I'm not known for my patience. I expect the best. After all, they don't get paid to half-ass their work. You could ask Jefferson, some of them deserve it.”

“And the ones who don't?”

“They might find themselves in receipt of a bigger bonus for the year.”

She could only imagine what he paid his employees. In that dynamic, they could at least quit. “Do you solve all your problems by throwing money at them?”

“Hasn't failed me yet.”

She frowned. She was just another pawn in his game, another thing that was being paid off to get him what he wanted. She couldn't blame him for playing to his strengths, she wouldn't be able to afford school without him.

“Thanks for telling me the truth. I guess I'll see you tomorrow.” She had nothing else to say to him. She got the answers she wanted and she wasn't going to delude herself into thinking he actually wanted to talk to her.

“Wait,” he said. “How was your day?”

She shrugged. “It was fine. I had a shift at the diner and then I got to meet Ruby's boyfriend.”

“And do you like this boyfriend?” There was a slight teasing tone to his voice that made her smile.

“He's a really nice guy, actually. A bit shy, but he's very sweet. He really likes her and I'm happy for her, because she doesn't really put herself out there. Sure she dated a lot, but not seriously. They were making eyes at each other all night.”

“You sound like a romantic.”

She felt her lips shift into a small smile. “I used to be.”

“Not anymore?”

She nearly snorted. “No. I've stopped believing in that ever since...” Well, she didn't need to say it for the millionth time. “Doesn't matter, I'm off the market for the next year anyway.”

“Are you ready for tomorrow?”

She settled into bed, trying not to succumb to the comfort of her pillows. “As ready as I'll ever be.”

A silence fell between them and she felt her eyes flutter shut. “I'm looking forward to seeing you.”

“Hmm,” she hummed with a small smile. He sounded sincere and after seeing Ruby and Archie together, it was nice to know that someone else liked her company. “G'night Rumpel.”

“Sweet dreams, Belle.”

She could have sworn there was a smile in his voice before she drifted off to sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: Belle's first event on Gold's arm.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks all for the comments! As a little side note, Belle's dress is black, since some of you asked. A disclaimer from me: I'm absolutely horrible when it comes to writing clothing. Seriously, the struggle is real for me. I'm a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl, anything else is beyond me. You can thank Google for everything else haha.

From the moment she woke up she had butterflies floating in her stomach. She helped Ruby and Archie pack and load his car, but they left relatively early, leaving her alone for a long while until she had to see Rum. She had tried to read, but her mind kept going back to him. She wasn't afraid of him, but he had some thick walls built to keep his emotions away.

She only hoped he was a better actor than she was.

She spent the day getting her nails done, wanting to make sure she didn't show up with chipping nail polish, and getting her hair done into a professional up do. She had to make sure she was shaved and moisturized and decided to do her own make-up. She didn't go crazy, but she made sure to accentuate her eyes. They were so blue, it was easy enough for her to do.

She put on her dress and slid on a pair of red heels before she stood in front of her mirror. She smiled at her reflection, turning from side to side to see how nice she looked. She looked like a woman fit to be on Raghnall Gold's arm. She only hoped that at some point she would start to feel that way.

She felt her phone buzz. It was a text from Rum saying they were at her door.

Belle tried to calm her nerves as she walked outside where Rum and Ben were waiting. She hoped he liked the dress and that he wasn't too upset with how much it cost. She couldn't bring herself to look at the price tag, but she knew it was more than she would ever pay even if she could afford it. She clung to her clutch as if it were keeping her alive when she saw the black car outside where both men were waiting for her.

Rum looked very polished in his three piece black suit with his hair slicked back, both hands resting on his cane.

Ben's eyes widened and he immediately looked away as Rum's lips turned into a grin. “You look beautiful tonight.”

She couldn't help but blush at the sincerity in his voice. “It's not too much?”

She noticed his eyes slide across the length of the dress and she could have sworn his eyes grew darker. “Not at all.”

She turned to Ben who was still not looking at her. “How are you tonight, Ben?”

“Good, Miss Belle. And yourself?”

“Its just Belle,” she reminded him. “I'm doing well. Ready to go?”

He nodded and opened the door for the both of them. Rum went in first and then she slid into the seat, feeling the cool leather against her bare back. She shifted in her seat as Ben began to drive them to the gala. She could feel Rum's eyes on her and it made her a little nervous. “Are you sure it isn't too much?”

She turned to him, watching as his eyes lifted from the bare curve of her neck to her eyes. “You're stunning, all of the women will be green with envy.”

She felt her cheeks grow warm. “You look very handsome yourself.”

A small smirk appeared. “I've never been envied for my looks.”

He wasn't conventionally attractive, but she couldn't help that she did find him easy on the eyes. They fell into a peaceful silence, watching as the streetlights and cars passed them by as they drove to the hotel where the gala was taking place. The closer they got, the more she fiddled with her clutch. She had not been a part of this world in over a year and even then, it was a much smaller version. She was prepared for everyone to think the worst about her. They wouldn't believe they were dating each other just because they liked each other, not with a twenty year age gap between them.

His hand slid over hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Everything will be fine.”

She nervously smiled. “I know. First time jitters are hard to shake.”

He smiled in response and before she knew it they were parked outside the hotel and Ben was opening the door. She took a large breath and stepped out of the limo, followed by Rum. He nodded to Ben and with a hand on her bare back, he led them into the hotel.

It was a very nice hotel, the kind she had only seen in movies and had never been able to afford to stay in. She couldn't help but take in the marbled floors, the detailed ceilings and the architecture surrounding them. She wondered if he owned this too.

“No, I don't own this hotel,” he whispered closely to her as they walked to the grand room. She turned to him with furrowed brows, thinking she had only thought her question. “I could see it on your face,” he said with a smirk.

One of these days she would stop being an open book, but as they walked into the grand room filled with tables and people and a grand piano, she knew it wasn't going to be today. She tried to mask her surprise, but she wasn't sure how well she was doing.

“Mr. Gold!”An older man said with a grin as he shook the man's hand.

“Mr. Gepetto, thank you for coming tonight. May I introduce my girlfriend, Miss French.”

The older man looked kind with a gray beard and a large smile. “The pleasure is all mine,” he said as he shook her hand.

“You can call me Belle,” she said with a smile. “It's nice to meet you.”

“Would you like a drink?” Rum asked her and she nodded. “Mr. Gepetto, would you mind keeping her company while I get us some drinks?”

“Of course not,” he said with a smile as Rum walked to the bar. As if he sensed her nervousness he said, “You can call me Marco, if you want.”

“How do you know Mr. Gold?” She had to make sure she used his correct name, she didn't want to start confusing the masses with her given nickname for him.

“I'm the head maintenance guy at Dark Castle. I've also done personal projects for Mr. Gold, I'm a good carpenter and have been with him since he opened the office here in Storybrooke.”

Another man who had been working with him for several years. “Do you like working there?”

“Oh, yes. Not many people would hire an older man like me, but he took a chance on me. I do work hard, but I'm able to provide a good life for my family.”

She didn't get any other feelings from him other than he was telling the truth. “Are they here tonight?”

He shook his head. “My wife is home with our boy, he's been sick for a few days and we didn't think it was right to leave him home with a sitter.”

He seemed old to have a kid who couldn't stay home on his own, but who was she to judge? “I'm sorry to hear that. I would have loved to have met them.”

He chuckled. “You'd like my Maria, she is the kindest person I have ever met. And August is the sweetest boy we could've asked for, he is our blessing.”

She couldn't help but smile at the sincerity of his words. “Have you been married long?”

“Twenty years this spring,” he said with pride.

“Here you are,” Rum said as he handed her a glass of wine. “Thank you for looking after my sweet Belle, Mr. Gepetto,” he said with a nod. She couldn't help but notice he didn't have a drink in his hand.

“Of course,” he said with a grin. “I'm going to go to the bar myself, if you'll excuse me.”

Once he was out of ear shot she said, “He seems really nice.”

“He is. He made all of the cabinets in my kitchen and the bookshelves in my library. The man has a gift.”

She sipped her wine and she couldn't help but feel everyone staring at them as she did so. Hopefully the alcohol would loosen her nerves.

From there it was a flurry of activity of meeting one person and the next. She met suppliers, heads of departments at Dark Castle, the head chefs at the numerous restaurants he owned... the list went on and on. She smiled and made pleasantries with everyone, feeling her cheeks burn with all the smiling.

“If it isn't my favorite brunette,” she heard from behind them, causing her to turn around. She grinned as Jefferson stood before her in coattails and a top hat.

“Jefferson! I was wondering when we'd see you.” Instead of a hand shake he opened his arms and gave her a hug, which she returned.

“Fashionably late, of course,” Rum quipped, giving his friend a grin as they shook hands.

“But of course.”

“Would you mind...” He gestured to Belle before she watched him disappear to talk with a middle-aged man with graying dark hair.

“You know I don't need a babysitter.” She looked to Jefferson with a sigh.

He only grinned. “He doesn't want you to be alone. He didn't want you feeling nervous or uncomfortable.”

She glanced at Rum, watching him as he nodded and spoke without a single smile. “Hm.”

“Are you enjoying yourself so far?”

She nodded. “It's a little overwhelming, but it's not bad. Everyone has been nice.”

“Everyone is on their best behavior, I assure you.”

She arched an eyebrow at him. “Even you?”

A knowing grin crossed his lips. “Maybe.”

She highly doubted he was going to be on his best behavior as she surveyed the room. Rum looked like he was very into the conversation with the man, so it was going to be awhile. Her eyes landed on the piano in the middle of the room, sitting vacant. “Is there going to be a pianist tonight?”

“No, the guy they hired pulled out at the last second. Gold wasn't pleased about it, either. We couldn't find anyone on such short notice. He tries to have some kind of background music at these things.”

She bit her lip as she stared at it. She hadn't touched a piano in over a year, but she couldn't help but feel the itch to play. “Can I?”

His eyebrows rose. “You can play?”

She smiled. “Maybe.” Since he didn't say no, she walked over to the piano in the middle of the room. Some people glanced at her as she took a seat, her hands gliding over the keys as she remembered. There were no music sheets for her, so she had no idea what Rum would have expected. She had memorized a fair amount of pieces growing up, any one of them appropriate enough for a gala, even if she started out rusty.

She started with a piece by Beethoven, feeling the melody come to her slowly as she worked from her memory, closing her eyes as she could feel the music flow through her. She couldn't hear the crowd anymore, she didn't care about having anyone’s eyes on her as she let the melody flow through her. Once she neared the end she didn't stop until the next song came to her, more upbeat than the one before. She couldn't help but smile as her fingers moved and nothing else mattered.

She transitioned into another song by Mozart, one of her mother favorites. She could imagine her sitting beside her, clapping her hands in sheer joy as Belle played her song. She forgot how good it felt to play and how much she missed it. When the song finished she pulled her hands into her lap and looked up to Jefferson who was staring at her with complete surprise.

She also noticed that there was a small circle of people surrounding her, watching only her. She blushed and stood, earning a very small applause from some of the people.

“You play beautifully,” a woman next to her commented. She turned to her, noticing she was a petite woman with long black hair.

“Oh, thank you,” she said with a nod. “I'm Belle.” She stuck out her hand in introduction, the woman extending her own in greeting.

“Mulan Fa.”

“I'm glad you enjoyed the music. I was afraid I was going to be a bit rusty, it's been awhile.”

The young woman, around her age if she had to guess, smiled. “Oh no, it was great. My mother tried her best to teach me the piano and the violin and everything else, but I didn't have any interest in it.”

“It's no fun if you don't enjoy it,” she agreed. Her mother had never forced her and like her love of reading, it only seemed to grow over time.

“I don't believe I've seen you here before. What's your connection to Dark Castle?” She looked around and that's when Belle noticed that Jefferson had disappeared and Rum was nowhere to be found.

“I'm dating Mr. Gold,” she confessed. “What about you?” The surprise on her face told Belle that apparently she should have known who she was.

“My father's business is... involved with Mr. Gold's.”

“Oh.” Well, that wasn't too embarrassing. He worked with a lot of people, plenty of whom she already met and forgot.

Mulan leaned in to whisper. “Is he really as bad as everyone says?”

She knew what she should say, but she also knew that she couldn't lie. Mulan seemed like a smart girl and she didn't want to jeopardize any of Rum's business with her father if it was obvious she was covering for him.

“I don't know,” she admitted. “I've never gone through a business deal with him, but...” Her thoughts drifted to how he held her when she cried, the way he rubbed her back, the way he helped her sadness go away, and she smiled. “He's a good man underneath it all, even if he doesn't want to believe it.”

Mulan's lips twitched. “When I heard he had a date tonight, I wasn't quite sure what to expect.”

“Me either,” she admitted. “I'm not really good at these things.”

She grinned. “Is anyone?”

“You seem like a natural at this.”

“Years of practice. Ever since I told my father I wanted to take over the business he's made sure I've been involved every step of the way.” She raised her glass in salute before she took a sip.

“I'm sure he's very proud of you.”

She nodded, her eyes searching the crowd. “Speaking of, I've realized I've spent more time over here than I thought. I was supposed to find my father.”

“It was nice meeting you,” she offered as Mulan waved goodbye and disappeared into the throngs of people.

With his impeccable timing, Jefferson appeared next to her. “Any other talents we should know about?”

She smirked. “Like your ability to appear out of thin air? No.”

He chuckled. “The boss needed me, but you were perfectly fine on your own. Making friends and everything.”

She fought the urge to roll her eyes. “I wouldn't go that far.”

“You're more likable than Gold at any rate.”

They shared a knowing grin. “Where is he anyway?”

Jefferson shrugged and looked at his watch. “Preparing for his speech. It's probably time for us to sit.” He ushered her to a table near the front as everyone else started doing the same. Her own table consisted of her, Jefferson, Ben and an older woman she hadn't yet met along with an open spot she presumed was for Rum.

“You must be Belle,” she said with a smile. “I'm Martha Potts, Mr. Gold's housekeeper and cook. It's so nice to finally meet you.”

“Likewise.” She turned to Ben who looked wholly uncomfortable with everything. “How's your night going, Ben?”

He shifted in his seat, his eyes drifting to hers. “F-fine, Miss Belle, thank you.”

“Just Belle,” she corrected. “One of these days you'll stop with the whole miss business.”

“Would it make you feel better if he called you ma'am?” Jefferson asked with a grin.

She threw him a glare. “Don't listen to Jefferson.”

“This could all be for naught. You might very well be a missus at some point anyway,” Mrs. Potts pointed out as Belle sipped her water and then choked on it.

Jefferson laughed and Mrs. Potts began to apologize. “Oh, I didn't mean to startle you. It's just, he's never brought a girl by before, and you seem like a lovely young woman.”

Jefferson patted her back as she cleared her throat. “Oh, it's fine. You just surprised me is all.”

“He is happier,” Ben pointed out, almost low enough for no one to hear.

“Exactly! I always told you all he needed was a woman's touch,” the older woman said with a smile, causing Jefferson to snicker.

“Literally,” he said, knowing very well it wasn't true.

“I'll have to make sure to take extra care in washing the linens.”

She couldn't believe they were discussing, of all things, her sex life with their _boss_. She couldn't help but be a little mortified and wanted to hide.

“And maybe the kitchen counters too,” Jefferson added, causing her jaw to drop.

“Jefferson!” She smacked his arm.

He chuckled along with Mrs. Potts while Ben looked equally as embarrassed as she did. Before anyone could say anything else Rum walked to the podium up front without a care in the world. His presence alone quieted the room down as they waited for him to speak. He took a moment to look out to the crowd with his usual calculating gaze.

His speech was concise, thankful, and matter of fact. He didn't add any frills or jokes, he didn't even smile as he spoke. He was unapologetically himself and everyone expected nothing less. When he was done everyone clapped as he walked to his seat for the dinner portion of the night. The room grew loud as everyone began talking at once as he took a seat next to her. “How was the speech?”

“It was good, sir,” Ben started with a nod.

“Very proper and poised,” Martha chimed in with a smile, like a proud mother.

“You hit every point you needed to and didn't beat around the bush. I'd say your best speech yet,” Jefferson said with a grin.

She grabbed her fork and started poking at her salad when she noticed everyone's eyes landed on her, waiting for her opinion.

She blinked and set her fork down. “Uh, it was nice. A little impersonal, but nice.”

The table collectively held its breath as Rum stared at her with curiosity. “Really? How so.”

She fidgeted with the napkin in her lap. She couldn't help it when his eyes bore into her like that. “You were so serious. A joke or two would've been nice, to lighten the mood a bit.”

He nodded, a brief smile appearing on his lips. “I'll note that for next time. I don't know that my jokes are particularly funny, however.”

“I don't think it'll be as hard as you think. I'm sure there are plenty of people here who would enjoy your dry wit.”

His lips twitched in amusement. “Not as much as your piano skills, I'm sure.”

She smiled in response. “So you did hear me.” She was sure the music carried, but she hadn't seen him anywhere near the piano.

A corner of his lips turned up into a smile, his eyes trailing down the curve of her neck before raising to her eyes again. “I can't help but notice beautiful things.”

She wasn't aware that she was still smiling until she looked away, noticing everyone else at the table was watching them intently, and she felt her blush heat her cheeks as she looked down at her salad.

The rest of the dinner was small talk between everyone. She noticed that everyone was more polite in their conversation, there would be no teasing of her or Rum while he was present. They respected him, but even Jefferson wouldn't joke with him in front of everyone.

Once dinner was over she was by his side again, socializing with more people. Over time her arm slid around his to keep him close. She was okay around people, but it was starting to be too much for her. He didn't seem to mind and made no effort to remove her from him. Everyone was curious about her, everyone wanted to meet her and he wanted to introduce her to everyone. She knew that today would be a lot of that and it would be awhile before people knew who she was and she felt comfortable enough to talk to them.

When the next person walked away, she let out a relieved sigh. How many more people could there be? He removed his arm from her and instead wrapped it around her waist as he placed a kiss on top of her head. “How are you holding up?”

She wasn't sure if he truly cared or if he was trying to make himself look good in the public eye, but she appreciated it either way. She looked up at him, seeing his eyes stare into hers with genuine concern. “Okay, I think. There's just a lot of people, more than I imagined.”

“You're handling it wonderfully. I promise we will leave soon and you'll be at your apartment in no time.”

That earned a smile from her and she felt the overwhelming urge to kiss and thank him for his thoughtfulness. Her eyes drifted to his lips, which were so very close to her own. Kissing was in the contract, but they had yet to do so. She had never given much thought to kissing him... until now. She licked her lips at the thought. What would it be like to kiss him? She knew what his hands felt like on her body, but what about his lips? She felt her cheeks grow warm at the thought of it.

Someone to the right of them cleared their throat, and she noticed he had been staring at her lips too when they broke away. She blushed when she noticed Mulan and the man Rum was talking to earlier in front of them. How long had they been there?

“Mr. Fa, Ms. Fa. I hope you are enjoying yourselves,” Rum greeted. His arm remained around her waist, keeping her against his side. Mulan and Belle's eyes met, the former with a knowing smirk, causing Belle to blush further. “This is my girlfriend Belle.”

She shook the older man's hand with a smile. “It's nice to meet you. I actually met Mulan earlier, when I was playing the piano.”

The corner of Mr. Fa's lips turned up to a smile. “You know your way around a piano. My wife and I tried to teach Mulan, but she was always more interested in business and martial arts. Where did you learn to play?”

“My mother taught me when I was young. When she passed, my father hired teachers because I loved it so much.”

Mr. Fa solemnly nodded. “I'm sorry about your mother. Losing a parent is always difficult.”

She tried to smile, but even years later it was a difficult thing to accept. “When I play I feel like she's with me, it's like she never left.” She felt Rum squeeze her tighter to him, his own little showing of reassurance.

The man and his daughter shared a look before he said, “Mr. Gold, I would like to set up a time for us to see your facilities while we are still in the country to see if we can finally arrange a deal between us.”

Rum's lips twitched. “Of course. I will have my assistant call you first thing Monday and we will set up a time that best fits your schedule. I'm looking forward to it already.”

They shook hands and Mr. Fa thanked him for a great party before they excused themselves for the night. She furrowed her eyebrows as she watched them walk away.

“They aren't involved with Dark Castle?”

He turned to her, a smile forming. “I could kiss you right now.”

She blinked at the sudden admission, even though she had been thinking the same thing not five minutes prior.

“I have been trying to collaborate with them for years. They're based in China and they're looking to do some international business in spirits and have been very stingy about it. Every year they turn me away, except this year.”

She had never seen him so happy and she couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm. “What does that have to do with me?”

“Everything!” With his arm still around her waist he directed her to the entrance where a lot of others were making their exit as well. He said goodbye to those who offered it on their way out as he walked them to the car.

When Ben opened the door, Rum smiled. “Thank you Mr. Dove,” he said as he slid into the car. Ben looked at her with furrowed brows, clearly as confused as she was. She gave him a shrug as she slid in next to him.

“I don't see how it has anything to do with me, I barely talked to them.” And what she had talked about, she realized Mulan had lied. She didn't want Belle to know that they were considering a deal with Rum and thus change her responses.

“It's really no secret that they don't trust me, but they are big on honor and family. Mulan is taking over the business when her father retires, she's very smart and has an eye for the truth. He may own the company, but she is the reason they have become so successful. Whatever you said to Mulan, it was enough to convince her father to entertain a deal with Dark Castle.”

She didn't recall saying anything of value to the young woman, but apparently it had done the trick. “Is that why you brought me here tonight?”

“I was hoping you could sway her, but I knew if I told you my plan that it wouldn't have worked.”

He was smart, she should have known. It was a good plan on his part to use her to appeal to the nature of another young woman. She wasn't sure she liked being a pawn in his games. “You will give them a fair deal, though. Right?”

He eyed her and she suddenly felt uneasy about potentially aiding someone into a bad situation. “Yes.”

She pressed her lips together and partially smiled before she looked out the window. She could only hope that Mulan and her father were not taken advantage of.

There was hardly anyone out on the streets at that hour. She reminisced about their night, back to dinner when it was them with his driver, maid and second hand man. “If they were so important, why didn't you sit them with us for dinner?”

“That would be fairly obvious. Besides, this was an appreciation event. Why wouldn't I sit with my most trusted employees?”

It was nice that he truly valued those closest to him and in return they seemed to appreciate his generosity. The more she thought on it, the more exhausted she became. The night had been draining and all she wanted to do was curl up with a book on her bed. She had to work tomorrow, but not until later. She was glad she took his advice to quit the diner. She wasn't sure she could have handled his fancy parties _and_ waiting tables all day.

Minutes passed and they were parked in front of her apartment. She turned to bid him goodnight, but he beat her to it. “I'll walk you to your apartment.”

She didn't see the point, but nodded and thanked Ben for the ride as they walked up to her apartment. “Do you want to come in?” She asked as she opened the door. He was paying for it after all, he might as well have seen what he was paying for.

He nodded, accompanying her inside the small space. She set her clutch on the table as she gestured around. “Well, this is it. My room is through there, then the bathroom, and then Ruby's room.” She watched as he took it all in. She never realized how small it was until she watched him take in the space. They didn't have much, but she thought they did a good job making it look like home. “It's a bit of a mess with Ruby in the process of leaving...”

“It's nice,” he said with a nod and she figured that was all she was going to get from him. There was nothing remarkable to comment on, no elaborate set-ups or art adorning the walls.

“Tonight was nice,” she said with a smile as she walked up to him. She figured he would pop in and out, desperate to get back to his own home.

His eyes found hers, holding them with a fire that sent goosebumps down her arms as they drifted to her lips. “Yes, it was.”

His eyes kept flickering back and forth and suddenly her mouth went dry and she was staring at his lips too.

“Earlier I thought...” His voice was lower, huskier than it was a moment before. She swallowed, feeling the warmth of him as he stood in front of her. She could feel his breath on her lips as she looked up at him, his eyes dark. “May I kiss you, Belle?”

He was giving her a choice. It was in the contract, but he was still leaving it up to her. He would not cross that line, he would give her the chance to say no. She couldn't think of any reason to say no and she knew for a fact that she wanted to say yes. She knew what it felt like to be touched by him. What would it feel like to be kissed by him? Without words, she merely nodded in response.

His hand cupped the back of her head, giving her a few seconds to pull away should she change her mind before his lips met hers. They were soft and gentle against her own and she couldn't remember ever being kissed so delicately. Her hands drifted to his waist as his arm wrapped around her, his tongue sneaking through as she was pressed against him.

She felt the warmth of his hand on her bare back, his arm securely around her as his other hand cradled her neck, his breath hot on her lips. He kissed her once more before he pulled away completely, leaving her breathless. “Good night, Belle.” He smiled before he silently let himself out of her apartment.

She laid her hand on her heart and felt it beating crazily as a smile spread across her face. She could say, without a doubt, that the man knew how to kiss even though it lasted mere seconds.

She was warm all over and she realized she was aroused. From a simple _kiss_. She couldn't help the stupid smile that spread across her face as she retreated to her bedroom to get ready for bed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know some of you might have expected more for her first outing, but I thought it'd be nice to have her ease into it at first. Don't worry, there will be many more interesting functions for our duo coming up!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks to all my readers and for the lovely comments. Happy early mothers day to any moms reading!

Belle wasn't sure why she thought the kiss would change anything. It was late Sunday night and she hadn't heard a word from Rum all day. It wasn't abnormal, they barely spoke in between getting together as it was, but she thought that now they had jumped into the next level of intimacy, she would hear from him more.

Without so much as a 'hey how are you' text, it was clear the kiss meant nothing. Yet, it didn't feel like nothing. She had kissed Gaston more times than she could count, but none of them had made her feel quite like that kiss had.

She heard the front door open and shut as Ruby walked in with a smile. “Hey. How was your weekend?”

Her friend let out a content sigh as she fell into the couch beside her. “Great. I have my own place in the closet, we made room in his apartment for my stuff and I love the city. Oh, and the sex was great.”

She couldn't help but smirk. “Glad to hear it.”

Ruby nudged her with her foot. “What about you? How was the gala?”

She thought back to the night and shrugged. “It was nice. I met a lot of people, the food was good. There was a deserted piano, so you know I couldn't resist playing a couple of songs.” Ruby knowingly chuckled. “Then he dropped me off and I gave him a really short tour of the apartment and he left.”

Ruby stared at her for a solid few seconds before she said, “He was here in the apartment?”

“Yeah,” she said, focusing on the edge of her shirt. “He walked me to the door and I thought he should see what he's paying for, so I let him in.”

“And?”

There was a knowing almost smirk on her friends lips as she vibrated with excitement. “And we kissed and he left.”

Ruby squealed and Belle could feel the couch shaking as she jumped up and down. “I knew it! How was it?”

“He's uh... a good kisser,” she admitted, feeling her cheeks grow warm as she thought about it, then frowned. “But I haven't heard from him since.”

“Ah.” Ruby bit her lip. “Not even a text?”

She shook her head. “I mean, we hardly text or talk in between anyway. It's not unusual.”

“Sure, but if the kiss was as good as you seem to think... why don't you text him? Don't let him have that kind of power. Make him want _more_ ,” she said as she wiggled her eyebrows.

“I've been thinking about it all day, but I didn't want to be that girl. You know, the one who reads too much into it.”

“What other reason does he have to kiss you other than he wanted to?”

She fidgeted with the edge of her shirt. “I helped him win over this client and he was so excited, said I was the one who did it. I thought...”

Ruby scoffed. “He wouldn't have kissed you just for that. Go on, text him. I bet he'll respond.”

She pulled out her phone and typed out a simple message: _How was your day?_ She hit send and waited. After a minute her phone buzzed and Ruby grinned.

“Told you.”

She rolled her eyes and opened the text. _Fine. Yours?_ She showed it to her friend who snorted. “Like he didn't just have the best kiss ever!”

“I'm pretty sure it wasn't a mutual feeling.” She quickly typed back, _Ok, I worked a few hours at the diner and Ruby is finally back home, so I'm telling her about the nice time we had yesterday._

“That should get him talking,” Ruby said with a smirk. “He's probably already thinking about kissing you again.”

Her nose scrunched. “You think so?”

“He'd be crazy not to. Archie told me he couldn't get me out of his head for days. Men can't resist beautiful women.” She was so sure of herself, Belle couldn't help but feel a little more confident. Maybe it wasn't such a stretch that he could like a girl like her after all.

Her phone buzzed and felt the excitement rise inside of her. As she read his response, she frowned. _We did._

“Maybe you should mention the kiss?”

“And say what? Hope we can do it again?”

“Yes!” She said with a laugh.

She put her phone away with a sigh. “No, he clearly doesn't want to talk about it. I'm just getting carried away.” She would do her best to forget about it.

“Ready for girls night Friday?”

She couldn't help but smile at the thought of being with her friends. “It'll be nice to see everyone together.”

“Yeah, it has been awhile, hasn't it?” She mused. “Do you have anything you need to do with Gold this week?”

Luckily, she looked at the calendar this morning to see when she would see him next. “Saturday. There's a LGBT Pride Month fundraiser that Dark Castle donates to every year, so they get a table.”

“Huh. I guess he has to clean up his image somehow.”

She rolled her eyes. “He's not that bad.”

“Just be careful,” she warned as she stood.

“A minute ago you were excited that we kissed. Which one is it?”

“I don't trust him, but if he helps you get over Gaston, then I can't hate him too much.”

She frowned as she watched Ruby walk away. There was no denying that she had loved Gaston, especially more than he deserved. She just had to make sure she didn't start having feelings for Rum too, and end up in the same situation after their year was up.

–

She was working at the library on Tuesday when she received Rum's text saying he needed to go over details with her when she was free. Once she returned home and settled in, she decided to call him.

After a few rings, he answered. “Hello. How was your day?” His words were tired and practiced, but she smiled anyway.

“It was nice, I got to handle story time at the library today. How was your day?”

“Long. That's why I wanted to talk to you. The Fa's would like to enter into a deal with Dark Castle, but they want to finalize it over dinner. Normally I bring Jefferson with me, but they insisted that you come instead.”

He seemed mildly perturbed at the idea and it was clear that he wasn't asking her to join him. He was telling her. “When and where?”

“Neverland, tomorrow. I'll pick you up at six-thirty.”

Of course she was scheduled to work at the diner, but she didn't have a choice. It was her last week there anyway. “Okay, I'll be ready.”

“Good,” he sighed. She was going to ask him more about the Fa's, but he continued talking. “I'll see you tomorrow. Have a good night.” Before she could share the sentiment he hung up, leaving her to stare at her phone with a frown.

Apparently the high of getting the Fa's business was short lived or he didn't like involving her in his business. Or he regretted the kiss and wanted to make sure it didn't get to her head. Well, if that's what he wanted she wouldn't think about it anymore.

–

She decided on a navy blue a-line dress that went to her thighs, with red heels to add a pop of color. She decided on keeping her hair down in soft curls and her make-up down to the essentials. She received the text from Rum, right on time, as she went down to greet Ben who was waiting for her.

“Miss Belle,” he greeted with a nod.

“Now Ben, when are you going to drop the Miss?” She teased.

He shyly smiled and opened the door. “Never, Miss Belle.”

She shook her head and slid into the back seat, seeing Rum on the other side. “Hello,” she greeted before turning her gaze outside.

“Good evening,” he greeted.

He didn't seem keen on having a conversation, so she let him be. She didn't know anything about this deal, it was probably best for everyone that she kept quiet. He was probably worried that she would say something to jeopardize the deal and she couldn't blame him. She wasn't Jefferson, after all.

The entire drive was silent, neither of them exchanging words. Ben opened the door, they walked into Neverland and were escorted to a special booth. They were early of course, he wouldn't let the Fa's arrive before him. She looked through the menu, seeing the wide varieties of seafood it offered. It was touted as one of the best in Maine and she had no doubt he owned this one too.

She thoroughly went through the menu by the time the Fa's arrived. She stood as Rum did and offered them a smile, shaking both of their hands. “When he told me that you wanted to have dinner, I was so glad to get to see you again,” she told Mulan as everyone sat.

Mulan smiled. “I insisted. These things are usually a sausage fest and the women I do get to meet are...” She scrunched up her face, causing Belle to laugh. She could only imagine the kind of women she met in this field.

Mr. Fa cleared his throat, his eyes showing disapproval at his daughters words. “That is no way to talk about our business partners.”

Rum smirked and waved it off. “She's not incorrect. I am looking forward to doing business with you, Ms. Fa.” He ordered a bottle of wine for the table to start everyone off.

“What would you recommend to eat?” Mulan asked as she opened her menu.

Belle remained silent as Rum said, “Anything with lobster, if you like lobster.”

“Belle?” She asked, raising an eyebrow.

She chuckled. “Oh, I've never been here before. This is way over budget for me.” She froze, feeling everyone's eyes on her. _Shit._ She knew she should have stayed quiet. “I mean I work at a diner part time...” Nope. That definitely wasn't better. “Rum has a more refined palate than I do.”

She let her eyes fall to her menu, hoping the ground would swallow her and take her away.

The table was quiet and she wasn't quite sure what Rum was thinking. Probably that Jefferson would have been a better date.

“Who's Rum?”

She slowly lifted her eyes, finding nothing but curiosity in both of the Fa's eyes. “Oh,” she breathed, a blush stretching across her cheeks. “It's my nickname for him.” She gestured to the man in question, but didn't dare look at him.

Mulan grinned. “So you're you and he's, well... him. How did you two meet?”

“Mulan,” her father growled in warning. “This is a business meeting.”

“It's quite all right, Mr. Fa,” Rum said with a nod. “When we decided to make it official, I knew people would be curious.”

Mulan looked back and forth between them and Belle could tell she was nearly dying from curiosity. “You have to admit, it is a bit... unusual,” Mulan offered.

“The story isn't that exciting, but Rum tells it far better than I do.” She chanced a glance at him and found him looking at her with a smirk. She couldn't help but smile back. She was not sticking her foot in her mouth again. Besides, they had never agreed on what lie they would tell people if asked.

“I was out late from a meeting and I was hungry. There happened to be a nearby diner that was open twenty-four hours. I've never been as it's your typical greasy spoon that I don't usually favor. Naturally it was empty, save for the cook and the waitress. When I saw her, I was speechless. I'm not one to be led astray by a pretty face, but then she smiled at me and her voice.... Well I didn't stand a chance.”

She was biting her lip at his words. He sounded so sincere, she almost felt like he meant it. She could see Mulan was eating it up.

“Then she decided to sit with me, much to my surprise. So we talked, more so she talked, and I listened. She didn't know who I was, I was just some suit keeping her company until her shift was over. I found she was not only beautiful, but smart, kind and incredibly clumsy.”

She blushed further as the waitress poured them their wine. At the very least she knew he meant one of those things.

“I made one of my usual off-color quips and the result was Belle knocking over her glass of water _everywhere_. Including my lap. I've never seen anyone so apologetic.” They shared a smile and it spread into his eyes. Now that she knew who he was and where they had been, she still felt embarrassed.

“You were wearing a really nice suit, I was afraid I ruined it,” she said, easily playing along.

“With water?” He replied with a chuckle and arched brow. “I would find excuses to eat at the diner after that, always in Belle's section. She didn't seem to question it and I felt a little stupid, because she was apparently kind to everyone, I wasn't anything special. After about a month of that I finally asked her out and here we are.”

He brought her hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles and she melted. She could imagine a world where he swept her off her feet and liked her from the beginning. It was a nice fantasy, but a fantasy nonetheless. She was there because he was paying her and that was that. Remembering the reality was like ice water being poured over her. She shook her head and turned to Mulan. “Like I said, he tells it better.”

Mulan agreed as they all sipped their wine. Of course it was a Dark Castle wine, and everyone launched into a discussion about business. Belle remained mostly silent as they talked about the intricacies of their deal. She didn't know most of what they were talking about, so she had nothing to contribute.

They ate their food, both of their dinner companions impressed with the lobster. She agreed with their assessments, the lobster was the best she ever had and the service was impeccable. By the time they walked out of the restaurant the Fa's were smiling and the deal had been struck. Everyone won, it seemed, as they said their goodbyes and left in their own cars.

Once they were safely in the car, Rum turned to her. “Thank you for coming tonight.”

She didn't have a choice, but she wasn't going to ruin his good mood with that truth. “Of course.”

He continued talking on their drive home, clearly riding his new deal high. She liked to see him happy and she nodded and smiled at the appropriate times, but it didn't seem to affect her own sadness she was experiencing. The fantasy she never knew she wanted had been dangled in front of her and then ripped away. Then there was the matter of the kiss that he seemed adamant to never bring up.

The car finally stopped in front of her apartment. “Dove, please give us a minute.” The larger man nodded and exited the car, leaving them alone. “You did well tonight.”

“Thanks,” she said with a small smile.

He sighed as he stared at his hands. “I'm sorry if the kiss made everything awkward. I noticed how there was tension between us and I knew we had to take away that element if anyone was going to believe we were together. It didn't mean anything.”

And just like that she felt the hope in her chest shatter into pieces. Her smile faltered.

“It's fine. I have to go, I had to cancel on the diner tonight and switched shifts so I have to work early tomorrow instead. Uh, thanks for dinner.” She made a hasty exit and bid Ben good night.

Once she was safely in her apartment she let herself fall onto the couch. At least now she knew where they stood. Their kiss—the best kiss she'd ever had—meant nothing to him. It was another ploy to further his agenda, nothing more.

She stared at the white ceiling with a sigh. In the end their relationship would end the same way as hers and Gaston's—it would mean nothing to everyone but her, leaving her to figure out where she went wrong.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next: Belle. Girls night. Booze. Because sometimes all you need is a little liquid courage.


	11. Chapter 11

For once it was a Friday Belle could look forward to. It was her last shift at the diner, ever. She didn't have to be at work for another four days and she was about to go out with her best friends.

“You're wearing _that_?”

Belle looked down at her sleeveless blue button up shirt with the open back, short black skirt and high black heels and frowned. “What's wrong with my outfit?”

“Nothing,” Ruby said as she eyed her. “You just look like someone who is trying to pick up someone at a bar.”

She snorted. “And you don't?” She gestured to her friends even shorter skirt and skin tight shirt that her boobs popped out of.

“I always do. I haven't been able to get you to go to a bar for the past _year_. And now you're going like that. You do know we're going to the Rabbit Hole, right?”

She shrugged. “I just wanted to look hot. Didn't know it was a crime.” And also forget about a certain kiss for awhile, but Ruby didn't need to know that.

Ruby held her hands up. “You do look hot, I'm just confused as to what brought on this sudden change. It doesn't matter, we're all getting fucked up tonight and I'm glad you've _finally_ decided to join the party.”

“Then let's go!” She grinned, looping her arm with Ruby's as they walked to their favorite hole in the wall bar.

By the time they got there, Emma and Mary Margaret were already sitting at a table with drinks. “Where's our drinks, bitches?” Ruby asked with a wide grin as their friends got out of the booth and they all hugged in greeting.

“Oh my God, Belle, look at you!” Mary Margaret said with a smile. “We've got so much to catch up on.”

“It's about time you guys showed up,” Emma said with a grin.

“I'm going to get us drinks,” Ruby said before she disappeared and everyone sat down.

“So how's that new boyfriend of yours?”

“Emma!” Maggie gasped.

“What? She had to have known we were going to grill her. Besides, she shows up dressed like she's ready to take a man out back and have her way with him when we haven't been able to drag her to a bar in forever. She's practically begging us to ask her.” She shrugged and took a swig of her beer.

Ruby returned with beers for them. “What'd I miss?”

“Belle was going to tell us all about her new boyfriend.”

Suddenly everyone's eyes were on her, so she grabbed a beer from Ruby and took a large gulp before she spoke. “I'm dating Mr. Gold. He owns Dark Castle.”

Maggie's eyes widened while Emma blurted, “ _What_?” and Ruby smirked beside her. “Belle, I've heard things about him. He's assaulted a man for Christ's sake! You've got to be kidding.”

“Nope,” Ruby said with a knowing grin, especially she was the only one who new the truth. “He's taking her to all these fancy dinners and gala's. She's going to one tomorrow for the LGBT fundraiser.”

“Regina's going to be there,” Emma added.

“How are things with Regina?” Belle asked.

“No, you can't deflect just yet. _How?_ You're so... and he's so...”

She tried not to laugh at the look of pure confusion and disgust on Emma's face. “He's not so bad. I'll admit he can be intense, but he's not a bad person.”

Emma didn't look convinced. “If that bastard so much as touches you wrong I'll arrest him myself.”

“I've already warned her, but you both know how stubborn she is. Now, how are things with Regina?” Ruby asked.

Emma's lips twitched into a smile. “Great. Once she wins the election this year, she wants us to go public.”

“And you're okay with waiting?” Maggie weighed in with a frown.

“I have to be,” she shrugged. “Besides, we're not ones to make a big deal out of it. What's a few more months?”

“Here's to her winning the election.” Ruby raised her glass and everyone else followed suit before taking a drink.

“What about you? You all moved in yet?”

“Come next weekend, I will no longer be living in Storybrooke.”

Belle frowned. It felt like everything was finally making sense in her life and now her best friend was leaving.

“How are you holding up, Belle?” Maggie asked with her usual concern.

“What? I'm fine.” She looked across the table, seeing the unconvincing eyes of her friends. “I'm going to miss Ruby, but Rum is going to keep me plenty busy, and school will too. Besides, I can still see her and I have you guys.”

“We just worry about you, is all,” Maggie nodded.

Belle nodded in return, but stopped when she looked closer at her friend. “You've been quiet about your dating life over there.”

Emma turned to her. “Yeah, Mags. Have you found your prince charming?” They always teased her about her notions of true love, but they always meant it from the bottom of their hearts.

“No,” she said far too quickly.

Ruby sat up. “Spill! You're totally seeing someone!”

Maggie readjusted herself in her seat. “It's no one.”

“It's definitely someone,” Emma said as she nudged her. “So who is it?”

Maggie looked around the bar before she turned back to them. “You guys have to promise to keep it to yourselves.” Everyone nodded, leaning forward in their seats as she spoke. “There is a guy. He's handsome and funny and _perfect_. He's the gym teacher at school and all of the kids love him. He's so good with kids...” She smiled, a dreamy look in her eyes.

Ruby snapped her fingers to get her back to reality. “Hey! So you're nervous about dating a co-worker? Afraid of what will happen if it goes wrong?”

“No. We've actually already...” She blushed, causing Emma to pat her on the back in support. “We have no issues at all with expressing how we feel about each other.”

Belle and Ruby's eyebrows shot up. It wasn't like Maggie to jump so fast with a guy.

“So what's holding you back? Is there a no dating fellow co-workers at school policy?”

“No,” she said fidgeting with one of her rings. “He's married.”

Belle knew her jaw dropped at that admission and she could see Emma's did too. “ _What_?” Emma said very loudly.

“I know! I'm a horrible person, I feel awful. He doesn't love her. He loves me.”

Belle winced. “Oh sweetie.”

“You know he's never going to leave his wife. They never do,” Ruby said with a frown.

“He said he will and I believe him.”

Gaston's face flashed through her mind. Even though he said he and Odette were never together, she never let herself believe it. She felt herself tense that another poor woman somewhere was going to find out that her husband had been cheating on her with another woman. “You have to stop seeing him. It's not fair to his wife. How do you think she'd feel if she found out, Maggie? That's her husband you're sleeping with!”

“Whoa,” Ruby said as she wrapped an arm around Belle in an attempt to calm her. “I think we can agree--”

“Don't you think I know that? I told you I feel awful! But he's not happy with her. We were meant to be together, I can't explain it. Everything jut feels right when we're together.” Maggie was near tears and Belle knew she felt horrible about it. She knew, but she couldn't help the swirling feelings of anger and sadness that swelled within.

“I know Gaston and I weren't a perfect match. We didn't make each other happy, but I still _loved_ him. You know how devastated I was when he left me for someone else. I don't care if his wife's a bitch, she doesn't deserve to be treated that way. I don't care if Odette felt horrible about it. That wouldn't have made me feel any better.”

“Okay,” Emma intervened. “I think we can agree that what Maggie is doing is wrong, but sometimes we can't help who we fall for. We didn't approve of Gaston, but you still dated him and we let you be. So I think maybe we should cut her some slack.”

“Well, I wish you guys didn't leave me alone. It would've saved me a lot of wasted time. I'm only trying to save her from more pain later,” she grumbled with a frown.

Maggie nodded. “I know your heart is in the right place and I know this probably won't end well, but I don't care. I've finally found my true love and maybe we'll never be together, but at least I have a chance to know what it feels like. Most people don't.”

When the time came, she would know how Maggie felt when her 'true love' ended up breaking her heart and she would be there like Ruby had been for her. After all, at one point she did think Gaston was her one and only love. Now she doubted the existence of true love at all, but if she had even the chance at that kind of happiness...

“You're right.”

There was a silence before Maggie said, “While we're on the subject of your ex...Gaston and Odette got married last weekend.”

Everyone at the table stilled. “Maggie!” Emma hissed.

Mary Margaret shrugged. “She deserves to know,” she said with a frown. “I'm tired of keeping it a secret. I didn't want her finding out from someone else.”

Belle hadn't expected to hear _that_. She felt the words on her tongue, but all she managed to say through her surprise was, “That was fast.”

“They got engaged a year ago,” Emma softly informed her with a sympathetic smile. She felt like she had been stabbed in the heart as she nodded. She looked to her friends who didn't seem surprised.

“We didn't want to tell you... it was too soon and you were so upset,” Ruby reasoned with an apologetic smile. “We just wanted you to move on.”

There was a noticeable silence as everyone looked at her. They had her best interests at heart, they always had. She should have listened when they told her to dump him years prior and they were right. She wasn't in any condition to hear that in the months after their break up.

“I get it. I don't blame you guys for keeping it from me. I don't think I could have handled it before,” she admitted as she drank her beer.

“Now look at you,” Emma offered with a smile. “You've got a new guy now, you've moved on. Fuck Gaston.”

“Yeah.” She smiled, but she didn't feel it. Maybe she had moved on, but she didn't have a new guy. He wasn't hers, he would never be hers. They shared an amazing kiss and it meant nothing. And when their time was done, she would be nothing more than a contract.

–

She wasn't sure how many drinks she had, but everything was spinning and everyone was so friendly by the time they left the bar. She and Ruby took an Uber back to their apartment, giggling incessantly as they walked through the door.

“I can't wait to see Archie later,” Ruby drunkenly stated. “And you get to see your man!”

She scoffed, swaying and almost falling as she kicked off her heels. “He'z nah mine. He said the kiss meant nothin'. I mean nothin'.”

Ruby stopped. “Wha? No, you don't take that! Call him right now and tell him that it was not nothing.”

“Yur right! I'm gonna tell 'im egg-stactly what I think!”

She pulled out her phone and after a few fumbles, found Rum's number and called it. It rang several times before she heard, “Belle? Is something wrong? It's two in the morning.”

“I knooow,” she giggled, causing Ruby to laugh. “I wanna tell yew tha our kiss waz sooo good. The best! And yew, yew said it waz nothin'. Why dun yew like me?”

“Belle, you're drunk.”

She giggled again. “'N Gaston got hitch-ched lass week 'n I'm sad 'n... yur lips 'er so soft-uh. Yew kiss better than 'im 'n I liked-ed it!”

“As much fun as this conversation is, how about we talk about this when I see you later, okay? When you're a little more... coherent.”

“Kay,” she agreed. “Nighty night!”

She ended the call and Ruby gave her a high five. “Now he'll give you all the kisses,” she said making an obscene kissing face.

Belle laughed as she staggered to the bathroom. She took one look at the toilet and heaved the contents of her stomach into it, regretting every single drink she had and ever having dated Gaston in the first place.

She flushed and sat on the floor in front of the toilet, the uneasy feeling still swirling in her stomach. He had proposed to Odette mere weeks after breaking it off with her. He dated Odette for almost six months, while still with Belle, before he proposed to her. He didn't even have to think about it. He didn't balk at the idea. He didn't give her excuses. He proposed and planned a beautiful wedding and got married a year later.

Belle dated him for eight years. She was with him through every rough patch. The few times she suggested getting married, he changed the subject. He made excuses. Instead of a ring, he found another woman. She gave him everything and all she had to show for it was a fractured heart.

“Whoa, Belle. What's wrong?” Ruby asked as she knelt on the ground by her, concern in her eyes.

Confused, she looked up at her friend, only to realize she had been crying. Her lips trembled as Ruby grabbed her hand and offered a smile. “He wasn' 'fraid of gettin' married. He was jus' 'fraid of gettin' married to me.”

“Oh honey,” Ruby said as she hugged her, letting her tears fall. “He was an ass. He didn't deserve you.”

She nodded and pulled away, wiping her tears the best she could. “Rum doesn' want me either.”

“Maybe he's secretly gay?” She joked, earning a laugh from her.

“I don' think he is.”

“There are rumors out there...”

She playfully shoved her friend. “You and your rumors.”

“What?” She held her hands up in defense. “I'm just telling you what I hear.”

With a smile she shook her head at he friend. She could always count on her to lighten the mood. 

–

When she woke up, she cursed whoever invented alcohol. She hadn't had a hangover this bad in years. Her head was throbbing, she was starving and her mouth felt like the desert. She grabbed her phone and trudged into the kitchen, seeing Ruby sitting and eating cereal with an equally haggard appearance.

“I hate you,” she mumbled as she poured herself some cereal.

Ruby cracked a grin. “But you had fun. And you told Gold how you really felt about that kiss.”

She stilled. “What? That was real?”

“Oh yeah,” she said with a grin.

There was no way the day could get worse. She looked at her phone and saw a new text from Rum. She winced as she opened it. _We need to talk. I'll be by a few minutes earlier tonight so we can discuss last nights conversation._

She groaned. “Shit.” Now if only she could remember exactly what she had told him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because Belle wasn't sad enough as it was, I just had to go one step further. But hey, now she can work on moving on. 
> 
> Next up: How did Rum really feel about their kiss? And another event!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, thank you all so much for all the comments and kudos. Brightens up my day! 
> 
> Second, I'm updating early! I'm out of town this weekend and I will be out of town again next weekend, so next weekends update will be later than usual. Hopefully you enjoy this enough in the mean time. :-D

Belle spent most of her day trying to get rid of her hangover, finally proving successful by the time she had to get ready for the fundraiser. She had Ariel's help once again with her dress. It was a floor length red mermaid style dress that she paired with nude heels. She pulled her hair up again into a braided updo and made sure her makeup was perfect. If she was going to get through their conversation she at least had to feel confident in herself first. She assessed herself in the mirror and nodded in approval.

She heard the buzzer and froze. Would he let her down gently? Would he say it was a mistake? She had worried about it all day. She quickly buzzed Rum up, knowing their talk was inevitable. She just needed to get it over with and move on, whatever the consequence. She opened the door, knowing it wouldn't take him long to walk down the short hall. She heard the clicking of his cane before she saw him in the doorway looking really good in a tuxedo.

_Damn him for being able to pull off a suit._ She gestured for him to walk in and shut the door behind him. She knew she had to start or else she was going to make an idiot out of herself if she let him speak first.

“First I want to apologize for my behavior last night. This morning,” she corrected as she walked to stand in front of him. “I rarely drink like that and it caught up to me kind of fast. I promise I won't let it happen again.”

His lips twitched. “Drunk dial me all you want, you're rather chatty when you drink.”

Of course. She should have known he would find it funny. Still, it didn't help ease her embarrassment. “But I said some things I shouldn't have and I was upset over hearing about Gaston getting married. I shouldn't have let it get to me and I shouldn't have bothered you with it.”

“Never apologize for expressing your feelings, even if it is through alcohol,” he slightly teased. “Does that mean you didn't mean what you said?”

He looked at her blankly, without any indication of how he felt about it. The contract bound her to the truth, not that she could or would lie to him anyway. “I meant what I said.” She dared to look him in the eye, feeling as if she was standing naked in front of him at the confession. There was no taking it back now. No hiding behind the alcohol.

“Why didn't you tell me before?”

She broke their stare and decided to nervously pace instead. “I tried to get you to talk about it, but you acted like it was nothing. Then you said it was nothing. Meanwhile I hadn't been kissed in a year and then you go and kiss me like—like _that_ and Gaston sure as hell never took the time to kiss me like that.” She snorted at the thought. “So yeah, I was a little caught up in it, because I thought it was good, but you've got the experience and you were just trying to make things less weird between us then I had to go and make it weird by drunk dialing you and I'm sorry.”

He caught her hand with his own, effectively stopping her as she looked up at him. “In what world is a beautiful woman telling a man that he is the best kiss she's ever had making things weird?”

She watched as his thumb rubbed across her knuckles and sighed. “Because you obviously don't feel the same way and I feel like an idiot.”

“Belle,” he started, clearly relieved. “I told you it was nothing because you were so quiet in the car. I thought... I thought you had regretted it. I feared that I misread everything and you only did it out of duty to the contract. I didn't want you to think that I would demand that of you every time we met. I may be a bastard, but I never want you to feel pressured into anything.”

“Oh.” She couldn't help the small smile that formed. “So you didn't hate it?”

“Hate it?”

She heard the clack of his cane falling to the ground as his arm slid around her waist and pulled her to him. His other hand cupped her cheek as his lips found hers, soft and warm. His thumb caressed the skin of her cheek as his lips and hers continuously met, his tongue sneaking in to meet hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck to bring him closer, one of her hands finding itself threaded into his very silky hair.

He pulled away and she gazed into his eyes, his pupils dilated and full of desire.

She could feel her heart beating out of her chest when she regained herself. “Oh.”

He pulled away slightly, his thumb caressing her jaw as his eyes trailed her face. “You're beautiful. Far too beautiful for the likes of me. I'd love to do more than just kiss you, Belle.” He smirked and pulled away completely, moving to pick up his cane.

She smoothed down her dress and tried not to blush profusely. Her body was betraying her and she had to put her brain in charge again. “You've uh, got some lipstick...” She motioned to his lips, seeing the clear red tint to them thanks to her.

“Do I?” He grinned. “I'll let everyone draw their own conclusions. Shall we?” He offered her his arm and she took it, trying not to smile too wide as they walked out to the car.

Ben was standing by the car door and looked up at them once they appeared. His eyes went from Belle to Rum and back again, clearly making the connection as to what they were doing. “Mr. Gold. Miss Belle,” he nodded as he opened the door for them.

As she waited for Rum to slide into the seat she said, “How are you today?”

He kept averting his eyes, clearly embarrassed. “Good. And you?”

“Great.” She grinned and slid into the back seat.

The ride was silent after that, but neither of them could help the smiles that formed every few minutes, especially when they caught the other staring. They pulled up to a hotel where the fundraiser was held and walked in arm in arm. It was no surprise that the first person who found them was Jefferson. He looked between them with a knowing grin.

“You look lovely tonight, Belle.” He gave her a hug and then shook Rum's hand. He looked between them, a smirk on his face when he noticed the obvious red tint on Rum's lips. “I see you've already begun to enjoy your night.” He wiggled his eyebrows, earning a chuckle from Belle.

Rum narrowed his eyes. “And what does that mean Mr. Hatter?”

Jefferson, clearly amused by the entire situation, stepped back. “Nothing at all, boss. Enjoy your night,” he saluted before he walked off.

“You do know that all of your closest employees already think we're sleeping together, right?”

“What?” He seemed surprised at this, enough so that it made her laugh.

“At the gala, they all pretty much said so. Martha said she was going to start changing your sheets more often because we're apparently that active.”

His jaw dropped. “They _what_? I can't believe they'd treat you like that. I'll have to talk to them.” The stern faced Rumpel was back, but his frown eased. “That explains why I have new sheets every day,” he mused as if it had been an unsolved mystery.

“No, you don't need to say anything. If I were them I'd be thinking the same thing.”

He nodded. “If anyone bothers you, let me know.” His tone had turned cold and she almost felt sorry for whoever tried to mess with her. Enough people were scared of him already that she would have thought it would have been a non-issue.

“Never thought I'd see the day,” a voice came from behind them. They turned around, only to be greeted by the smiling face of Regina Mills.

“Madam Mayor,” Rum greeted with a nod.

“Nice to see you Regina,” Belle said with a smile. She had only met her a couple of times, but they had been pleasant and most importantly, she made Emma happy.

“I thought Emma was pulling my leg,” she said with a smirk.

“You should know that Emma wouldn't lie,” Belle replied with a grin.

“Excuse me, ladies. I think I have some business to attend to.” Rum nodded to them both before he casually walked away to a man she didn't recognize.

She could feel Regina's stare burning a hole into her side. “This is a lovely fundraiser,” she said with a wide smile.

Regina smirked. “Tell me, how does it feel knowing that everyone here thinks you're with him for his money?”

She blinked, surprised that she had been so brazen. “Well, I'm not.” She only hoped it came out believable.

Regina arched an eyebrow and Belle knew she should have known better than to lie to Emma's girlfriend. Emma would never date someone who couldn't see past others bullshit. “I personally don't care what your motives are, but Emma is worried and I don't blame her. He's got a reputation.”

She fought the urge to roll her eyes. “How many times are people going to warn me before they give up?”

Regina casually looked around the busy room. “Maybe that's a sign that you're in over your head?”

She frowned. “I'm perfectly fine.”

Regina's gaze landed on her again and she almost shivered. “For now.”

“He's good to me.” At least that much she could say with confidence.

She pursed her lips in thought. “Trust me, I would love nothing more than for him to be happy and overthrow my mothers business.” She noticed the twinkle in her eyes at that and wondered how often she wished bad things on her own mother. “And I'm happy for all of the jobs he's brought to Storybrooke, but sometimes people are too broken to be fixed. You're a good person and I'd hate for him to take you down with him.”

“I don't believe that,” she said as she shook her head. “There is good in him.”

The man in question reappeared with a slim smile. “Ladies. I apologize for the sudden exit, business never stops it seems.”

“Of course,” Regina said with a feline smile. “As long as it keeps you here in Storybrooke, I have no objections.”

“I have no intention of leaving.” She felt his eyes on her and she couldn't help but notice Regina's eyebrow raise at what he implied.

“Lovely. If you don't mind, I have some business of my own to attend.” They nodded to each other as she left to greet another fine patron of their growing town.

“Who was it that you needed to talk to?” She finally looked up at him, watching as he shrugged nonchalantly.

“A fellow attorney who I'm negotiating a deal with on some property. He has been avoiding me, so I seized the opportunity to remind him who he was dealing with.” His tone was as cool as a winter breeze and his face a mask of stone.

She didn't want to ask what he had said to the man in question who was now nowhere to be found. She supposed he didn't get to be in his position without some coercing, but it was unsettling to know he was confident enough to do it in public.

Although it was a happy occasion, she couldn't help but notice their interactions with others this time around. At the gala she was still terrified of messing up and overwhelmed with everyone she met to really pay attention to what was going on. Maybe it was the constant warnings everyone was giving her and the fact that he didn't deny any allegations against him, but she couldn't help but look at everything with different eyes.

Everyone they stopped to talk to were respectful, uncomfortably so. When she had been on Gaston's arm, he was loud and commanding of attention. He laughed and joked and even made off-color remarks from time to time, sometimes at her expense. Rum was entirely different. He was firm, but soft spoken, his stony countenance rarely moved. He was all business with no room for pleasantries.

Everyone was respectful because they were afraid of him. They were afraid to say anything that could annoy him or anger him. His reputation was well known and he did nothing to make them think otherwise. He would introduce her and no matter how many times she smiled, they were wary of her too.

Because she was with him.

The reactions were different and the same. Some were afraid, flicking their eyes back and forth as if she were a pretty trap to help Rum's agenda. Some were confused, wondering why someone like her would be with him, until the only obvious reason came to them. Once they reached that conclusion, she would see pity or jealousy in their eyes, depending on the person.

At some point he had left to use the restroom, leaving her alone in a room full of strangers. She stood alone, looking around to see if anyone else was alone too. Instead people talked quietly, glancing at her as if she were a dirty secret. No matter how much she tried to smile and invite conversation, everyone avoided her as if she had been branded by the devil himself.

She chewed her lip, thinking he had been in the bathroom longer than one needed to be. He probably got sidetracked again, knowing him. She didn't feel threatened by the current company, but she felt crushingly alone in a room full of people.

She walked around groups of people, some of them making sure to move out of her way as she walked outside to the garden. To her surprise no one else was outside, giving her a chance to clear her head. She leaned against the railing, staring at the fountain in front of her, it's flowing water a nice contrast to the loud chatter inside.

The sun had set, the hot summer air giving way to the cooler summer night. She was getting warm inside, so the occasional breeze was welcoming, along with the lack of scrutinizing stares. She didn't have Ruby's confidence to walk around with her head high, uncaring of what everyone thought. She had always admired her for it and wished she could evoke some of that courage.

“You're not the woman I was looking for,” a teasing voice said from behind her.

She couldn't help but smile and glance to Jefferson who had taken up the spot next to her. “Is that why you come to these things? To meet eligible women?”

He grinned wide. “Is there any other reason to be here?”

She let out a breathy chuckle. “I suppose not.” Both turned to the fountain, silence settling between them as he shoved his hands into his pockets. He seemed so light and happy for someone who was in this world. He had that same air of confidence Ruby had. “They're all afraid of me, Jefferson.”

He nodded as if he had suspected it all along. “He's always had that effect. It took months before people would treat me like a normal person. Even now, they're still sometimes wary.”

“I thought if I smiled and tried to look nice they wouldn't be so...” She shrugged, at a loss for the right words.

“In some ways it'll be harder for you. The rumors after his divorce were rough, to put it mildly. His ex really tried her best to paint him in the worst way possible, to make herself look like a victim. He also likes to live up to his reputation. Everyone knows what happened when his wife cheated on him. Do you really think they want to take a chance with you, knowing what he's done?”

He had a point. No one wanted their interest—friendly or otherwise—to be misconstrued as making a move on her. No one was willing to tempt fate. “All of my friends told me I was crazy for dating him.”

Jefferson chuckled. “You've got good friends.”

Her eyes widened as she turned to him. “You're his friend. You've worked for him for years... how could you say that?”

He shook his head from side to side in thought. “He's complicated,” he started. “I was the one who told him to... date,” he said with a knowing smirk. “Sure, he hated being approached by vapid women all the time, but he was losing himself in his work. The man did nothing else, had nothing else and didn't want to do anything else. He's given me a lot, even though he'd deny it. I didn't want him to become what everyone thinks he is. I've seen him with my daughter, I've seen the good in him. I thought maybe a more permanent fixture of that kind of presence would help. I hoped by doing that, maybe everyone else could see the good in him too.”

“That's where I came in,” she guessed. “But what could I do? I mean... look at me.”

He grinned. “I see someone who Gold could fall for, if she let him.”

“What?” She furrowed her eyebrows as she looked around to see if anyone heard. They were still alone. “You know that's not the point.”

“Maybe not to him, but it was always the point to me.”

Her head was swirling with questions. “Why? How do you know it will even work? You can't just use me like that.”

“I'm not making you do anything. I'm only hoping for the best.”

He had a point there. Everything had been her choice and by his admission, Rum didn't know Jefferson's true intentions.

“There you are,” the Scottish lilt said from behind them.

She turned around, watching him as he walked to her with a smile. “I needed some air.”

He nodded and looked to Jefferson. “You've had good company, at least.”

“I don't know about that,” she teased, earning a grin from Rum and a chuckle from Jefferson.

“I can see I'm not wanted here.” He knowingly smirked before he walked back inside. He thought he was so smart, playing cupid. She would have to get him back.

Rum looked down at her with such intensity it would have unnerved her if she didn't know any better. “I was worried when I couldn't find you.”

He didn't sound angry, but concerned. She felt her heart melt slightly at that. “You were gone for awhile and... well it's not like anyone was going to talk to me.”

“Ah,” he knowingly said. “I'm not very liked in the business world. Or any world, really.” His eyes flickered away, as if this sudden realization would make her doubt everything that had developed between them. For the first time, he was vulnerable in front of her

“They just don't see what I do.” She offered a small smile and coaxed him to look at her.

He huffed and smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. “That makes one of us.”

There were cracks in his armor, too. He had seen how she reacted to everyone being afraid of him and expected the worst. She supposed he expected the worst because that was always what happened. She wasn't going to give him her heart, but the least she could do was show him she wasn't afraid. She wasn't like everyone else. “Kiss me.”

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Are you sure? Someone could see.”

She grinned and suddenly she felt a little more confident about herself than she had moments before. “I don't care.”

His lips twitched into a grin and without another word, he leaned forward and kissed her. His free hand slid around her waist and rested on her lower back, pulling her to him as he sucked on her bottom lip. Her hands rested on his chest as she kissed him back, attempting to nip his lips and earning a smile from him as she did.

Someone cleared their throat, causing them to pull away from each other. Still slightly dazed she looked to the source and found not one, but several men staring at them in shock and surprise. She knew she was blushing as she looked away from them. She had forgotten where they were for a second.

“Can I help you?” Rum's cold voice echoed.

“We were just...” One of them held up a cigar and she noticed the rest of them also held one in their hands.

“Of course. We'll leave you to fill your lungs with toxic chemicals.” With his arm still around her waist he led them past the group of men and back inside. She could feel every single mans eyes on her as they walked past, making her blush.

“I hope they weren't anyone important.” The last thing she wanted to do was ruin the image he so desperately wanted to maintain.

He smirked. “No. Just a bunch of jealous men, wishing they were the ones kissing you.”

It was nice to see the light back in his eyes, especially because of her. “And here I thought it was the other way around.”

He chuckled, earning a few looks from those nearby. She caught Jefferson's eyes some distance away, smiling from ear to ear before he disappeared into the crowd.

–

Once it seemed that everything was dying down, Rum escorted her to the car to ride back home.

“I think I'm getting better at this,” she said with a smile.

A small grin formed on his face. “You were never bad at it.”

She gave him a look that said 'yeah right'. “I thought the contract said we couldn't lie to each other.”

“I'm not lying. You're always lovely, at least in my presence.”

The soft smile and intense gaze only made her blush further at his words. “So are you.”

A loud laugh escaped him. “Now who's lying?” His words elicited a laugh from her, both of them unable to keep the grins off their faces. There was a moment of silence before Rum spoke again. “Next week is fourth of July.”

“Yeah, I guess it is.” The past few weeks were such a flurry of activity she had barely realized.

“Do you have any plans?”

“In the past Ruby and I would go to the beach if we weren't working. I think Archie might be coming up to help Ruby pack the rest of her stuff. Why, is there some Independence Day ball I should know about? I don't remember seeing anything on your calendar for then.”

“There's not,” he said with a nod. “Remember how I told you that I have a cabin a couple hours away by a secluded lake?”

She nodded. “Yeah.” She remembered thinking about how peaceful it would be to read there. “Are you going there for a few days?”

She turned to him, seeing his eyes were already on her. “I was thinking about it, yes. I was wondering if you wanted to come. It would be just you and me, of course. For a couple of days.”

Her eyebrows shot up at the offer. The idea itself was suggestive, but his tone was akin to a friend inviting another on a weekend getaway. If she didn't go, she would be helping Ruby pack while wondering what she could be doing at a secluded cabin on a lake. If she did go, it was quite possible their kissing was going to turn into a lot more. For the first time in a long time, she was interested in the idea of doing more than kissing. If he knew how to kiss, what others things did he know? _Do the brave thing_... “Okay. Yeah. I'd like that.”

He grinned, the light reaching his eyes. “Good, good.”

She chewed her lip to keep herself from grinning. She had no idea what was going to happen, but it was about time she had an adventure.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: What does Ruby have to say about all of this?!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kudos and comments! They truly do make my day. I'm glad I can sneak in an update, but really I'm using it as an excuse to procrastinate packing more. I'm not sure if I'll get to update again this weekend as my husband and I will be moving into our first house (eee!) and I have no idea how long it's going to take to get stuff settled. Hopefully not long just for my own sanity...

“You're going to his lake house?!” Ruby said in shock.

“Yeah.” She pushed her cereal around as Ruby paced back and forth.

“You do realize that means he thinks you're going to have sex, right?”

She gave her friend a small smile. “So?”

“Oh my god!” She gasped. “You _want_ to have sex with him! When did this happen?”

“I thought it might be good for me, to put myself out there.” She shrugged and tried not to grin at Ruby's flabbergasted expression.

“What happened to my friend? You clearly are not her.”

“I'm curious,” she confessed. “I think he might actually be able to get me off. Or, you know. At least try.”

“Hold on.” Ruby stilled and stared at Belle in shock. “Gaston never...?”

She shyly shook her head. She had always led Ruby to believe otherwise, having been too ashamed to admit it. “I had to take care of it myself. Otherwise I faked it. A lot.” It was embarrassing how easily she could fake her own pleasure.

“Wow.” Her friend sat down next to her, shaking her head in surprise. “You'd think someone with such an inflated ego would at least be able to back it up somewhat.”

She winced. “He didn't really care,” she admitted. “He's best described as a wham bam thank you ma'am kind of lover. I just thought that was normal until I lived with you.”

“No wonder you never wanted to have sex,” she blurted. “Hold on a sec.” She walked to her room and came back with a box, setting it in front of Belle. “You'll need these more than I do. I know for a fact you're not taking the pill anymore.”

She eyed the box of condoms. Ruby was right, she had stopped taking the pill once Gaston broke up with her. She hadn't seen the point anymore. “Gaston never wore a condom, not even the first time. He said he couldn't enjoy it with one. How naive I used to be,” she sighed.

“I swear if I ever see him again I'm going to give him a piece of my mind.”

“I don't think there's any use in stopping you.” At this point, she might have liked to see Ruby rough him up.

“Damn straight,” she agreed. “Gold is a smart man, he shouldn't have any problems with these,” she nodded to the condoms. “In fact, he should be worshiping your body. I want to meet him, make sure he knows who he's dealing with. He's picking you up tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Have him come up before you leave. We can't have another Gaston situation on our hands.”

She knew there was no arguing with her best friend. Although no one really approved of him, it was more so due to his reputation than it was his treatment toward her. If anything, maybe seeing them together would ease Ruby's fears.

–

She wasn't surprised that Rum agreed to meet Ruby and Archie before they left for his lake cabin. He said he was glad she had such a good friend who wanted to make sure she would be taken care of. She wasn't sure what to expect from her friend, but she had been assured she'd be on her best behavior.

Archie was over to help with the last of the packing so they could drive back together. They would leave on Saturday, the day after Belle was going to be back from her trip. She was going to spend three days alone with Rum. She had no idea if it was going to go well or burn down in flames, but she hoped for the best.

The buzzer sounded, signaling his arrival. She eagerly went to the door while Ruby and Archie stood in the background. She could see her friend buzzing with curiosity at meeting the infamous Mr. Gold. She opened the door as soon as he knocked, surprised to see him in one of his usual three piece suits. She felt a little under dressed in her shorts and tank top, but other than that she was glad to see him. “Hey.”

“Hello,” he said with a small smile as he walked in. Ruby and Archie stared at him while he stared back.

“Oh! Archie, Ruby, this is Rum. Or, ah, Mr. Gold,” she said gesturing to everyone.

With his usual cool confidence, Rum shook both of their hands. “It's nice to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Archie said with a nod and soft smile.

Ruby had other ideas. “I don't know what your intentions are with my best friend, but if she doesn't come back telling me she's had the most amazing sex of her life we're going to have problems.”

Archie turned a deep shade of red while Rum's eyebrows shot up.

“Ruby!” She nearly hissed in embarrassment.

To her surprise, his lips twitched in a smirk as he looked back to her. “Noted, Miss Lucas.”

“Good,” Ruby said with a satisfied smile. “I hope you have a great time.”

She glared at her friend as she shouldered her bag with all of the things she needed for the next few days. “Thanks Rubes.”

“It was a pleasure meeting you both. I assure you Belle will be in good hands.”

Ruby looked ready to say something, but Belle said, “Don't,” cutting her short.

“We must get going. The art of a thorough ravishing takes time, it cannot be rushed.” He said it so casually, her mouth dropped. Then she noticed the teasing twinkle in his eyes.

“I hate both of you,” Belle remarked as they left the apartment. She could hear Ruby's laugh down the hall.

She threw her bag to the back seat and sat in the passenger side as he started the car, still smirking. “I like Ruby.”

She shook her head. Ruby had promised she would be on her best behavior. She should have known. “That makes one of us.”

His smirk softened as they drove away. “She's only looking out for you.”

Sometimes she'd wish she didn't. She looked over at him again, looking at him in his three piece suit and desperately wanted to change the subject. “I feel a little under dressed.”

He briefly looked at her before he turned back to the road. “It was my first time meeting your friend. I was not about to be caught wearing shorts and a t-shirt.” He said it as if it was a crime. It almost made her smile. Almost. “I assure you as soon as we reach the cabin, no more suits.”

She could live with that. Now that Ruby had made things incredibly awkward for her, she nervously chewed on her lip as she stared at the changing scenery from the passenger window. She had suspected his invitation was suggestive, but she had hoped he would at least try and charm her before he took her to bed. Now there was no point, it was obviously a sure thing.

“You know... I didn't take your friend seriously. I don't expect anything. I don't want you to feel like you owe me or that you have to do anything you don't want. I only thought it would be nice for you to get away from Storybrooke for a bit. Also, I do enjoy your company.”

The humor from before had disappeared. He looked nervous as he re-adjusted his hands on the steering wheel.

She chewed the inside of her cheek to keep herself from smiling. He was worried about her. He wanted her to feel safe. Happy. “I know. It's just... she promised me she wouldn't say anything.”

“If it's any consolation, I'm now the one under immense pressure. Now I know everything I do is going to be judged. I'm going to have to pull out all the stops.” He was grinning and she knew he was only trying to lighten the mood. Oddly enough she trusted him to keep his word. She knew he wouldn't lay a finger on her unless she was okay with it.

And she was more than okay with having any of his fingers on her... or in her if she was lucky. If she was going to make the car ride without issues, she needed to think of something else. “How long have you had the cabin?”

“About five years. I needed a place to go when I didn't want to be around people anymore. Which to be honest, is all the time,” he said with a wry smile.

“So you must come up here a lot.”

He huffed. “Not as much as I'd like. I only visit once, maybe twice a year.”

She frowned. “What's the point in owning a lake cabin if you're never there?”

“Because I can?” He said with a shrug. “As Jefferson said, business doesn't take a holiday.”

She stared at him, seeing his rigid jaw line, the wrinkles around his eyes and stress on his face. A life of all work and no play, as Jefferson had said. She thought he was handsome, even though she couldn't put into words why.

“I think you're lonely.”

His eyebrows shot up at her declaration. “Lonely?” He chuckled. “Hardly.”

He had his armor, but she was starting to see past it. The little cracks that showed from time to time when he thought she wasn't looking. “You build up this image of yourself so that no one will want to be around you. You've convinced yourself that you deserve to be alone, so you act like you don't need anyone else. But deep inside you're like the rest of us.”

He snorted. “If you say so.”

He was never going to admit it, but she was going to prove she was right. She was used to being the damsel in need of saving, but in their tale it was Rum who needed to be saved. All she had to do was be herself, loving with her heart on her sleeve, regardless of what she got in return.

It was a scary adventure, but one she was ready to tackle. If she wasn't careful, she was going to end up like him. Hell, she already had the past year. She worked all the time, she rarely went out and acted like she didn't deserve to have fun. She was going to save him and she was going to save herself too.

Then it dawned on her. Not only was he civil to Ruby and Archie, he was _nice_ and he even smiled. It had taken her some time before she elicited a genuine smile from him. Even at outings, he was civil at best to everyone. “Why were you so nice to Ruby?”

He arched a confused eyebrow. “Was I not supposed to be?”

“No,” she said as she shook her head. “I expected you to be polite, but not so... friendly. You're not usually so casual in front of others, is all.”

He smirked as if he knew that word didn't apply to him. “She made it easy and I knew it would get a reaction from you.”

Right. He did like getting reactions from her. Apparently in any way possible. “Of course.” It took Ruby all of five seconds to get Rum cracking jokes. “Ruby's like Jefferson. They have that don't care attitude and confidence that's eluded me my entire life. I guess I shouldn't be so surprised, everyone always takes to her.” She let a slight sigh escape her as she looked back out the window. She knew what Jefferson had wanted from her, but no matter how hard she tried it would be harder for her than someone naturally liked like Ruby.

She noticed him glance her way as a small silence filled the car. “I wanted to make a good impression on your friend.”

“What? Why? I mean, she knows that we're not really dating, I told you that. You don't have to pretend for her.” She said as she looked at him.

He shrugged. “I would rather your friends approved of me, is all. Can't have them trying to take you away from me,” he teased, but it fell flat.

She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. He wanted her friends to like him. Like they were actually dating and it mattered. “They absolutely loathed Gaston.”

He snorted. “I loathe the man and I don't even know him.”

She fought the urge to laugh. “I don't think meeting him would change your prospective.”

Rum meeting Gaston would be interesting for sure. She figured Gaston would be happy for her, but thoroughly shocked and disgusted that she was dating a man twenty years older. Rum would eat him alive. Now that was an appealing thought. The car was silent and she watched as some cars flew by on the highway while houses and buildings flashed by as they drove.

“Why were you so upset to find out he was married?”

She blinked in surprise, the question seemingly coming from nowhere. It was a valid question, one she had to come to terms with after her drunken night of confessions. “We were together for a long time. Everyone was convinced he was going to propose, even me. Instead he broke up with me and proposed to someone else not even a month later. He didn't even hesitate. I felt incredibly stupid that he had been cheating on me for months and I had no idea. I thought we'd get married, have kids...”

He nodded. “You wouldn't have been happy.”

“I know,” she agreed. “I keep trying to tell myself that.”

“Did he even want kids?”

She knew the picture she had painted of him and wasn't surprised that he'd think Gaston was against children. “Oh yeah. Of course he always said he wanted a bunch of strapping young boys like he was, no matter how many times I told him he can't control that,” she said with a shake of her head. “I even had a pregnancy scare once, a couple years into our relationship. Surprisingly he was okay with it, he said he'd support me in my decision. He was more terrified that if it was true his mom would make us get married. I guess that should have been a clue.” It was almost sad how many things she should have realized about him and instead, she ignored them.

“Marrying because you're pregnant is never a good idea. Been there, done that.” There was a slight teasing nature to his voice that made her smile.

“Would you have stayed married to her if she actually was pregnant?”

She noticed his jaw clench at the thought of his ex. “I don't know. From what I hear custody battles can be nasty things and she would have given me Hell. I was raised in a broken home, I certainly wouldn't have wanted that for my own child.”

She chewed her lip as she saw the anger in his eyes. “What was it like, being raised by your parents?”

He grumbled. “Hell.” She nodded and decided not to pry. She knew what it was like, not wanting to share parts of ones life. “My mother would try and protect me. My father would beat me for no reason, because he was an angry drunk. She would try and stop him so he would beat her instead. I'll never forget her screams, or the sight of her crying every night. I was just a boy. Then one day she was just... gone. I was happy for her, she was finally free, but I was also crushed. She left me alone with that monster, knowing what he was. She didn't take me with her and that's the day I realized there's no one you can count on but yourself.”

He sounded so sure of himself that her heart ached for him. She could imagine him as a boy, all bones and shaggy hair, scared and alone with a man who had no regard for him. “Did you find her eventually?”

He gripped the steering wheel tighter, his jaw twitching. “No. My aunts said she skipped town and never looked back.”

She nodded in understanding, except she was the one who had skipped town. Her father hadn't cared when she told him she was leaving Storybrooke to live with her boyfriend in Boston. He was happy for her and perhaps even relieved.

“What about you?” He asked, breaking her from her thoughts.

“What do you mean?”

“Did you ever wonder what your father was up to? Have you looked for him?”

“No.” She was not prepared for the reality that her father had been happy with his horrible wife all these years, hardly giving her a second thought. She wanted to believe he missed her and was okay being blissfully unaware. She chose to live her fantasy instead of facing reality.

“Is it because of his wife?” She didn't answer, but thinking of her made her fists clench. “What did she do to you?”

He wasn't prying, but he did seem interested in what she had to say. Her friends knew of course, they had lived it with her. They were there for her, but with the exception of Emma, they had grown up in loving homes. Emma sympathized, having lived in several shitty foster homes over the years until she made it on her own, but Rum would understand. Out of everyone she knew, he could understand the pain that lived inside.

“At first she was nice. We would go shopping together, she would take me for spa days. It was almost like having a mom again and my dad was thrilled that I had some womanly influence in my life.” It was bittersweet, thinking back to when she actually liked Mal.

“Then she would start making comments. First she would call me fat, then she said I was a nerdy bookworm who would never make friends. She was subtle about it, I almost thought I was going crazy at first. She would see how close I was with my dad and when he was gone, she would tell me to stay away. When I didn't, she'd start to hit me, in places my dad couldn't see. That worked for awhile, I would find ways to disappear around my dad. But he loved me, so he would try and talk to me, take me out to lunch and figure out what was going on in my life. Mal didn't like that.”

His hand found hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She fumbled a smile, not realizing she needed the extra comfort he provided. “Suddenly my mothers things started to go missing. Pictures of her would get thrown out, her favorite figurines would go missing. One day I walked in to find her in my room, holding my favorite book that my mother used to read to me. _Her Handsome Hero_. It was my mom's copy and it had been one of her favorites too. She gifted it to me when she knew she was dying. Mal started tearing pages from it until I couldn't take it anymore. I asked what she wanted from me and she told me she would stop if I left. So I agreed that I would pack up my stuff and I would go.”

“And you never saw them again.”

She nodded, reaching back to grab her bag, pulling out the raggedy copy of the same book. He briefly eyed it and she fought the urge to smile as she fanned the pages. The cover was fading, the binding was fraying and the pages were crinkled. “I managed to tape the pages back into the book. I know it sounds crazy, but if you were to tell me I had the chance to grab one thing and everything else would get thrown out, I'd pick this.”

He offered a sad smile. “That doesn't sound crazy, Belle.”

“I carry it everywhere, if I can.” She opened the cover, smiling as she looked over her mothers elegant, faded script.

“What's it say?”

Her smiled widened. “It says, _Belle, You are not the damsel, you are the hero. You will do great things and you will bring happiness to so many people, as you have to me. Thanks for the adventure—now go have a new one! Love, Mom._ ”

His lips twitched as she read. “I'm sure she'd be very proud of you.”

“I hope so.”

“You know, I've never read it before.”

She laughed. “Not a lot of people have, let alone men. Everyone thinks it's some kind of romance novel, but it's not. It's so much more than that. It's about bravery and honor and—I suppose love is a part of it, too, but it's not the point.”

“We have a couple of hours to kill. Why don't you read it to me?”

She stared at him, finding him completely serious. “Really? You want me to read it to you?”

He shrugged as if it was no big deal. “Unless you don't want to, I know it would be a lot of reading.”

Her grin stretched from ear to ear. “I would love to! Just let me know if you want me to stop.” As she opened the book, she couldn't help but notice from the corner of her eye that he was smiling too.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: We arrive at the cabin.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally updating now that my life has returned to some semblance of normalcy. Thanks for all the well wishes--the move went great! Thanks for all still reading & commenting, you guys rock.

“It's not quite what I was expecting, but I like it so far.”

She shoved the book into her bag as they drove down a secluded road, seemingly in the middle of a forest. “I'm so glad you like it. I swear it gets better every time I read it.”

He cracked a grin as they drove further into seclusion. They hadn't seen another car in quite some time, but she hadn't really been paying attention since she began reading. Soon enough he pulled down a long driveway leading to a cabin with the lake behind it. It was nice on the outside, exactly what she would have expected. It had two floors, but was not by any means large or ostentatious.

He parked the car, allowing them to get out and stretch their legs while grabbing their bags. “Welcome to my lake cabin.”

She followed him up to the front door, realizing there were no houses next to them that she could see. She walked behind him inside, surprised at how normal everything looked. It was decorated to look rustic, with wooden stairs curving up to the second floor and the living area spanning before them, the kitchen beyond that. The blinds were open, allowing the summer sun to shine onto the beautiful wood flooring.

“There are two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs. You're welcome to either, but I don't think you'll want one of them. My room and separate bath is down this hallway,” he said, pointing to the hallway shooting off from between the kitchen and living area.

“It's so... clean.”

He chuckled. “Before I come up I have someone clean and stock up on food for me.”

She rolled her eyes. Of course he did. “I'm just going to set my stuff in my room,” she said as she hitched a thumb upstairs. He nodded, allowing her to make her way up to the second floor. She admired the wooden railing as her hand trailed along it, liking it's intricate design. She followed the hallway and stopped into the first room, finding a queen sized bed with an earthy green duvet, an elegant neutral rug on the floor and what looked like an antique dresser. She set her bag down, figuring the room suited her fine enough.

She was curious what the other room held, if he figured she wouldn't take it. She walked along the hall, finding the bathroom and then the other bedroom. She walked inside and stopped short. Against the wall was a tiny toddler bed with a pink bed spread that had unicorns on it. There was a doll house in the corner, several stuffed animals lined up in a row on the bed and a small table with plastic tea cups and chairs. It was an odd sight to see in the vacation home of a self proclaimed bachelor, but she couldn't help but smile as she looked around.

She pulled herself from the room and trudged downstairs with Rum nowhere to be seen. She drifted to the back of the house and let herself out the sliding glass door. Birds sang and leaves rustled in the wind as she looked around. There was a nice deck, complete with a table, chairs and a grill. She focused her attention ahead on the peaceful lake. She could make out a few houses along the edge in the distance, but they were far and few between. She could imagine a hammock tied between the trees to her right with her in it, a book propped on her stomach as she read under the sun.

“I see you've found the lake.”

She turned around and smiled at the sight of him. He had changed into a short sleeve gray button down t-shirt with khaki shorts and boat shoes and she couldn't decide if she liked him more in a suit or out of one. “It's beautiful.”

He slowly walked to her, his cane marking his steps as he did. “Aye, it is.” He looked at her when he spoke, a casual grin on his lips that made her blush and look away.

“You have a toddler bed upstairs.”

“That's for Grace,” he explained with a slight smile. “Jefferson takes the room you're in when he comes here.”

“It's nice of you to let him use this place.” She looked back to him, watching as he shrugged nonchalantly.

“He deserves it and so does Grace.”

She nudged his shoulder with hers. “You're a big softy.”

He laughed, a loud jolting sound that had his eyes crinkling in delight. “Not even Jefferson would agree about that.”

“I bet Grace would.” She arched an eyebrow to challenge him.

His smile remained and he nodded. “Aye, she would.”

That little girl had more power than she knew. She imagined him with kids of his own and snickered. “If you had a daughter you'd be screwed.”

“I know. Why do you think I hoped for a boy when I thought Milah was pregnant?” He teased.

She shook her head at him and turned back to the house. “What do you normally do when you're up here?”

“Honestly? I'll bring contracts up here so I can read them in peace. I drink and stare at the lake. Read the newspaper or a book, if I have the time.”

Her eyes met his, suddenly serious. “Don't tell me you brought contracts with you.”

He gave her a knowing smile. “I might have.”

“No. I ban you from doing work on this vacation. If I see you with work I will throw it into the lake. This is supposed to be fun!” He opened his mouth to retort, but she held up her finger. “Don't tell me work is fun, because it isn't.”

He shut his mouth, his lips curving into a smile. “Then what do you propose I do? You have your books, after all.”

She chewed her lip as she looked around. “Do you have any games?”

He snorted. “I think Jefferson left Scrabble here, but I have never lost, so I wouldn't suggest it.”

She grinned. “I guess we'll see about that, won't we?”

He arched an eyebrow and gestured for her to sit. “Don't say I didn't warn you.”

–

He was smirking as he set down his letters. “Oh look, that puts me... still ahead of you.” He tallied his points and drew the last of the letters, making a point to shake the now empty bag. “I'm afraid you'll need a miracle at this point. I did warn you.”

She chewed her lip as she stared at her letters and the board. They had done a good job spreading out and utilizing every bonus point they could. He not only had a good vocabulary, but he knew how to block an opponent and think ahead too.

“You did,” she agreed with a sigh. “But in the end you didn't need to.” His smirk fell as he sat up straighter, watching as she placed all of her letters on the remaining triple score. “Math isn't my strongest subject, but I think I just beat you and won the game.”

He hurriedly counted her letters, then counted them again as he added them to her score. “Son of a bitch,” he swore as he looked at the scores, shock written all over his face.

She grinned and leaned her arms against the table. “Oh Raghnall. Did you really think you could beat a bibliophile and aspiring librarian at _Scrabble_?”

When he looked up at her, she couldn't help but feel there was something different lingering in his eyes. The shock was wearing off, turning into... admiration? Awe? She wasn't sure, but he seemed to notice it the same time she did, causing him to immediately look away.

“Let's play again.” He seemed determined to win, as if it had been a fluke. She hadn't beat him by much, but it was still a victory. Little did he know, she now knew what she was up against and how he strategized, giving her an advantage.

“Are you sure? I've never lost a game,” she playfully teased him.

“Oh _now_ you decide to tell me?” He remarked with a smirk. “It seems I've finally found a worthy opponent. You won't win this next one.”

They cleared the board and drew their new letters, Rum more determined than he was before. His eyebrows furrowed and his jaw twitched when he stared at his letters and the board, trying to find the best combination.

When he lost the second game by two points, he demanded another rematch. She did her best to hold back her laugh as they played again. They managed to get through half of the letters before she looked at her own and frowned. She had a lot of duplicates and not much on the board to work with. After his last play he was ahead of her, but not by much.

Instead of re-drawing and losing a turn, she decided to play what she could in hopes of getting better letters. She played the word and tallied her points.

“That's not a word,” he immediately said.

She cocked her head at the board and looked at the word—tmesis—to make sure she spelled it correctly, which she did. “Yes it is.”

“No it's not.”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “Are you challenging me, Mr. Can't-Win-A-Scrabble-Game Gold?” There was a teasing note to her words as she grinned. “Are you sure you want to do that?”

“I do. I believe you're trying to pull a fast one on me.” He grinned, the kind of grin he had when he knew he was right about something and liked to prove it. He pulled out his phone and typed in the word onto the official Scrabble website and waited for it to load.

As she stared at him, she immediately saw the moment he received his answer. He stared at the phone a bit longer than necessary, as if it had offended him.

“Is this the part where you tell me that I was right?”

He set his phone aside with a huff. “You got lucky.”

“Or maybe I'm just really smart?” His eyes met hers, earning a smirk from him at her tone.

“Of that I have no doubt.”

She wasn't sure why compliments from him felt like they mattered more than anyone else, but she looked back to the board before she got lost in his eyes. “I do believe that means you skip your turn since you lost the challenge.”

He sighed and nodded in defeat. “Yes, the board is yours again.”

His challenge ended up costing him in the end and after his third loss he scowled. “This isn't possible.”

“Maybe you've met your match,” she said with a shrug. She tried not to enjoy her defeat too much, but he was making it difficult. She doubted anyone ever beat him at anything, so it was a new feeling to him. “I can keep going all night, but I'm getting kind of hungry.”

“Of course. Why don't you put this away and I'll get started on dinner?”

She nodded and he went to the kitchen as she picked up the tiles and put the game away. By the time she finished, he seemed to have everything settled. He was waiting for a pan to heat up and chicken laid on a plate ready for him to cook.

“Anything I can do?”

“Pour us some wine. Pick whatever you want,” he said as he gestured to the wine fridge.

She didn't know much about wine other than she liked to drink it, but if he had it then he must approve of it. She knelt down to the fridge and opened it, surveying the different types. She pulled out a Chardonnay as he set two wine glasses in front of her.

“Nice choice.”

She rose a sardonic brow. “You would say that about any of them.”

He grinned. “Doesn't make it any less true.”

Luckily it was a screw top as she was horrible at removing corks, she had always left that job to Ruby. She poured each of them a healthy amount before she put it back in the fridge. When she looked up, he was watching her as if he had been undressing her with his eyes. She blushed and looked away, picking up her glass to take a sip. Ever since she met him he had a raw intensity to his stares that she didn't know what to do with. At first she felt uncomfortable, but now it made her feel warm.

She wasn't even sure how to go about doing what it was they came there for. Gaston had always let his intentions be known and since it was constant, it didn't leave any room for her to try and be seductive. There was no way she could successfully seduce a man as experienced as Rum. She did not have that kind of confidence yet.

“Didn't know you could cook.” She mentally kicked herself when she noticed his amused smile. Insulting him was definitely not the first step in seduction.

“Mrs. Potts does most of my cooking, but before I hired her on I had to fend for myself. Milah wasn't going to lift a finger to do it and I do enjoy it from time to time.” He casually sipped his wine as he eyed the pan on the stove. “What about you?”

“I love cooking. My father was a basic man when it came to food and Gaston would've lived off Ramen and energy drinks if it weren't for me. I didn't have the money he did, so he'd give me money to buy all the groceries and I'd cook for him and our other roommates. They weren't picky, so when I started out rough it didn't matter.” Some of her earlier creations were not pretty, but at least they tasted okay. College guys ate anything, it seemed.

He laid the chicken in the pain and her nostrils were filled with the smell of chicken sizzling. “I don't know how you managed to live with four guys. I could barely manage my one roommate in college.”

A light laugh escaped her. “I was eighteen and living away from home for the first time ever in a new city that I could explore. It was an adventure and nothing was going to ruin that. Not even messy, smelly, loud college boys.”

He smirked at that. “And look at you now. You'll be living alone, without having to deal with any of that.”

She tried to smile, but she ended up frowning instead. When she returned, Ruby would be leaving forever. She would never come home to see Ruby watching trashy television or stuffing her face with some kind of unhealthy snack. “Yeah, I suppose.” She stared at her wine, realizing there would be no more nights of them sitting together on the couch, sipping wine and talking about their day.

“She'll only be a phone call away.”

She looked up, finding him staring at her again with a lopsided smile. “I know. It won't be the same, though.”

He nodded and flipped the chicken. “I'm around. I'm no Ruby, but I can provide plenty of wine and an ear to listen.”

Without thinking about it she wrapped her arms around him, his back pushed against her front. She hugged him close in a tight hug, feeling him immediately stiffen at the contact. She immediately pulled away. “Thanks. I, uh, might hold you to it,” she awkwardly said.

He didn't turn around, his body still frozen as he nodded. “You know where to find me.”

Picking up on the awkward energy in the air, she made an excuse to leave. “I, uh... I need to use the bathroom.”

She didn't wait for a response as she scurried to the bathroom upstairs, being as far away as possible from him. She sat on top of the toilet seat and buried her head in her hands. Suggestive glances and sex was one thing. That could involve bodies and primal urges and theoretically, one could leave their feelings behind. It didn't have to mean anything. Ruby had always been able to do that, much to Belle's surprise. Sex was just sex to her, nothing more than scratching an itch.

Hugging, touching, discussing feelings... that was something else entirely and he hadn't signed up for that. She wouldn't be surprised if he was like Ruby, able to separate his feelings during sex. It was clear he liked to shut himself off from others. He never came across as the kind of person who hugged anyone.

She probably spooked him, knowing how he liked his personal space. Sure they kissed, but that was on his terms. He was so closed off... it was no surprise that he froze, now that she thought about it.

With a sigh she walked back to the kitchen, hoping she had imagined it all. He was setting the plates down at the table when she came into view.

“Ah, there you are. Dinner's ready.”

She sat down, looking at the chicken and salad on her plate. “Looks good. Can't wait to dig in.”

He nodded, sitting down himself and cutting into the chicken. Their conversation was simple and safe. The weather, her schooling, new contracts. They smiled and refused to make proper eye contact. She helped him clean up and then finally, they had nothing else left to do.

“It's late. If you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to turn in for the night.” He nodded to her and without another word, she watched as he walked into his room and shut the door behind him.

If that wasn't a clear dismissal, she wasn't sure what was. It wasn't too late for her, but it felt weird to float about his cabin while he slept. She retreated to her room and shut the door before grabbing one of the books she brought to lay down on the bed.

She brought them just in case, not thinking she'd get to do much reading on their trip. Well, for the first time ever she had hoped she wouldn't do much reading. She had been looking forward to getting thoroughly ravished for once in her life. She was willing to let her hair down and take a chance, but it seemed fate had other ideas.

She was still going to enjoy her time at the cabin, even if it meant reading and not having mind blowing sex.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: Oh, I think you know.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks all for the comments! I'm so glad people are enjoying this. As a heads up this chapter contains sexual material (although I don't think that's a surprise...). It's been awhile since I've written anything like that, so I'm definitely rusty. No time like the now to work on it!

When she woke up the sun was flooding into the room, blinding her until she fully woke. She got dressed and and padded downstairs, almost expecting him to find him dressed in a three piece suit. She noticed him outside, sipping his coffee as he stared at the lake. He was dressed similarly to the day before. She poured herself a cup of coffee, noticing a mug had been left out for her to do so.

She let herself outside and sat across from him. “Mornin'.”

“Good morning,” he replied with a nod.

“I could make us some breakfast,” she offered, feeling the need to be useful.

“No need, we've got muffins to last us for days.”

“Oh. I guess I'll go grab myself one. Would you like one?”

He looked to her and gave her a half-smile. “That sounds lovely, thank you.”

She retreated back into the kitchen, finding the muffins on the counter. She picked two and brought them out so they could eat.

“These are really good.” She broke off another piece and hummed as it hit her tongue. She always had been a sucker for sweets.

“They're from a bakery twenty minutes away. Hidden gem,” he replied as he broke off a piece of his own.

“Sleep well?”

He shrugged. “As well as usual. You?”

“Same.” The bed was comfortable, but she couldn't help but lay awake and think of him. His lips, his fingers... the fact that she was in bed completely clothed and alone. She was surprised at how disappointed she had been about it.

“Good, good.”

They finished their muffins in silence, the chirping birds filling in the quiet. She grabbed her empty wrapper and his, which caused him to stand. “I can get it.”

She shrugged and grabbed it anyway. “I'm already up. It's no big deal.”

She could hear the cane behind her as she walked into the house. So he was following her, then. By the time she threw away their trash and turned around, he was standing before her, looking at her. This time she couldn't quite place his expression. “Anything you wanted to do today?”

She shoved her hands into her pockets and shrugged. “I don't know. Maybe I'll take a walk around the lake. I'll probably find a spot outside and read after.”

“Of course. It is a nice morning for a walk.” He offered a smile and she felt the tension in the air, thick enough to cut with a knife.

“I'm sorry for making things weird yesterday,” she blurted. She could not endure anymore of their awkward exchanges, especially when they had eleven months left together.

His eyebrows furrowed. “You didn't.”

“Oh.” She felt the heat rise to her cheeks and her eyes darted away. “I just thought... I hugged you and you didn't like it and I felt bad for making you uncomfortable.” She knew she was nervously shifting from foot to foot, but his stare had not wavered.

“I wasn't expecting it.” He stepped closer to her, his head bowed. “I don't know the last time someone hugged me like that. It's been a long time. I didn't mean to make you feel like you can't touch me. That's the opposite of what I want.”

She offered a tentative smile as he reached for her hand, pulling it from its hiding place in her pocket. “Me too.”

He laid his cane against the cabinets, his other hand cupping her cheek with his thumb caressing her skin. “You're beautiful.” She shyly smiled. She wasn't sure she'd ever get used to him saying it. “And I love the way you blush when I tell you you're beautiful.” She knew that admission made her blush further, but she couldn't help it. His words were smooth, especially with that accent of his.

His lips found hers, the start of a soft, promising kiss before he pulled away. “Is this okay?”

She could feel his hot breath mingling with hers and all she could do was nod.

He grinned and leaned in again, his lips on her with more force than before. She could taste the coffee and the muffin together, mixed with her own as his tongue found hers. She heard something fall to the ground as he pressed her against the counter, effectively trapping her between it and him. She wasted no time threading her fingers into his hair and kissing him back as his arms snaked around her and held her close. A hand drifted underneath her shirt, just barely teasing the small of her back while the other drifted to her ass. His kisses drifted from her lips to her jaw and down to the spot between her neck and shoulder.

A small whimper escaped her when he found a spot she never knew existed. He continued kissing and sucking that spot, her body becoming warm with lust. She felt something very hard grinding into her as he claimed her lips again and her body ached for more. Her fingers traveled to his shirt, hastily trying to unbutton it. When she got to the end, she pushed it off of him and ran her hands up his body.

A rumbling came from his chest as he nudged her away from the counter and into the hallway. She followed his lead, kissing as they went, until they were in his room and he pulled away. His hands tugged at her tank top as he lifted it over her head and tossed it to the ground. He placed kisses on the tops of her breasts and she felt his warm hand slide across her rib cage and around to her back, easily unclasping her bra.

She let it fall to the ground, trying not to feel self-conscious as she stood before him. “Beautiful,” he murmured as he stared at her. “I've dreamed of this ever since I saw you in that bikini.”

A hand slid up to cup her breast while his mouth found her nipple of the other and teased it with his tongue. Her heart beat wildly as he focused on her breasts, giving each equal attention with his hands and mouth. She felt herself moving backwards until her knees hit the bed and he gently nudged her to lie back. She scooted to the middle, watching as he looked down at her as if she were a delicacy ready to be devoured.

His kiss started with her lips, then moved down to her shoulder before finding her breasts once more. She arched into him, wanting _more,_ feeling the fire in her belly with each touch. His lips traveled down across her stomach before he stopped. She opened her eyes, finding him unbuttoning her shorts and sliding them off. He kissed her knee, moving up the inside of her thigh with feather kisses that drove her crazy. He stopped at her panties and looked up at her for confirmation.

She nodded, unable to find her words as he hooked his fingers around them and slid them down her legs. His fingers slid up her thigh and then... “Oh!” She gasped when she felt a finger slide across her slit.

“You're so very wet for me Belle. Is this what you want?” He grinned and she could tell he loved every second of this torture. She nodded. “I'm going to need you to say it for me.”

“Y-yes,” she breathed. “I want this.”

He grinned further and she felt his finger slip inside her. When his lips found her clit she closed her eyes and bit her lip. She had gotten herself off plenty of times, but none of them felt as good as his fingers and his tongue at that moment. She couldn't help but move her hands to his head and thrust into his ministrations, feeling her orgasm building closer and closer...

“Oh, _fuck_ ,” she gasped as she felt her walls spasm around his fingers and her body arch into his mouth. He continued his ministrations, even though she tried to push him away. It was so sensitive, she was so sensitive, but his tongue and his fingers continued, putting her in complete pleasure and pain all at once. She wasn't sure she could take any more, but he persisted, leaving her mumbling incoherently. She could feel the sweat on her brow and her chest as he managed to push her over the edge for a second time.

He gave her a parting kiss before his lips traveled up her body, stopping to stare into her eyes. “You taste heavenly.” His lips fell to hers and she tasted herself on him, something distinctly her. She felt something very hard pressing into her hip, so she slid her hand down to cup him through his pants. “You don't need to...” He pulled away from her hand, his voice strained.

“I want you inside of me, Raghnall.” His eyes darkened when she said his name. “I've got some condoms upstairs...”

He slid off the bed, opening his suitcase and pulling out a foil packet with a grin. She couldn't help but smile. She watched as he took off his pants and boxers, springing free before her eyes. She hadn't expected him to be so well endowed. It must have showed on her face because of the shit eating smirk he had. She watched him roll the condom on and hover above her. An odd excitement ran through her. As satisfying as his fingers were, she wanted him inside of her. She wanted to feel him, making him come undone with her.

He stared into her eyes, looking at her like he didn't believe she was there. She smiled back and pulled his head down so she could kiss him. It seemed to be all that he needed before he grabbed her hips and slowly pushed inside her. He let her adjust to him before his thrusts began. She dug her hand into his hair as they kissed, with him pulling away as his breaths became ragged and his thrusts more urgent. She wrapped her legs around him, feeling the familiar sensation of an orgasm coming.

“Oh Gods, you feel so good,” he growled as he moved against her, his face buried into her neck.

“So close,” she sighed and to her surprise, his hand disappeared between them to stroke her clit.

“Cum, Belle,” he told her. She couldn't stop the feeling of ecstasy wash over her again if she wanted to. She felt her walls spasm around him as he thrust in and out. After a few seconds of her clamping around him he groaned and stilled, finding his own release. He breathed heavily as he pulled away, slipping out of her so that he could clean himself up.

By the time he returned she was still laying in his bed, a lazy smile on her lips as her eyes met his. He slid next to her with a knowing grin. “How was round one?”

Her eyes widened. “Round one? You mean...”

His fingers teased her skin, idly stroking the side of her breast. “As a man, I will need time to recover. But you know what's wonderful? Women don't need to. They can come again and again and... again.”

She should've been afraid. He looked as if he wanted to eat her alive. Again. Yet as he stroked her skin, she found she didn't want to be anywhere else.

–

She stared up at the stars, so vibrant in the night sky with no lights around for miles. She was leaning against Rum, his arm draped around her as they sipped their wine in comfortable silence. Their Fourth of July had been explosive, to say the least, and the day after had been the same. She found out that he had no qualms about touching after all, sexual or otherwise. He would caress her, kiss her or squeeze her just because he could and for no reason.

Even as they sat together outside, his fingers would caress her arm, or fiddle with the ends of her hair. He also wanted her to sleep with him in his bed at night. She thought it had been code for more sex, but he wrapped himself around her and fell asleep without so much as an attempt to get more. Although he had gotten plenty throughout the day...

She looked up at him, seeing his face had relaxed greatly as if he forgot about the stress of life for a bit. A few times she forgot how to speak, so it wasn't completely out of the realm of possibility that he could relax after their days of passion. “I hope we can come up here again.”

“You can count on it. Best vacation ever.”

She scrunched her nose. “Surely you've had better. You've been to so many places.”

He grinned. “I find that company makes all the difference, and I've never had better company.”

“I'll have to tell Jefferson that.”

He chuckled. “Somehow I don't think he'll be offended.”

“I always thought Ruby was crazy with how much she loves sex, but now I understand. I have been deprived all these years.” Even at their best, the sex with Gaston had never been as good as it was with Rum.

He didn't say anything, but his smile said it all. He sat up straight, an air of confidence around him that hadn't been there when they arrived. It left her with a sense of pride knowing that she could reduce this man, the Beast of business as he was called, to such a state of contentment.

He had done some questionable things, but they were in the past and she still felt safe in his arms. She knew she got to see a side of him that few ever did and it made her...happy.

“What's that smile for?” He said with his own.

She turned to him, only to smile wider. “I was thinking of you.”

She noticed his lips twitched, probably to keep him from smiling further. “Me?”

“Yes, you.” She poked his stomach, earning a grin.

“Are you sure you're feeling okay?” He asked, moving a hand to her forehead before she swatted it away.

“I've had a great time. You can let everyone believe you're this horrible man, but I told you. You're a big softy.”

He huffed. “I appreciate it, but I know I'm not a good man.”

She sat up and faced him. “You've made bad choices, but deep down you're a good person.”

“You are the only one who believes that.”

She sat up and lifted her leg to straddle him, her arms wrapped around his neck. His hands moved to rest on her thighs, exposed by her dress. “I'll prove it to you.” She leaned in and kissed him, the front of her body pressed tightly against his as she did.

When she pulled away, he smiled. “How are you going to do that?”

Without another word she found his lips again, her hips grinding into him as his tongue found hers. His hands rested firmly on her hips, using them as leverage to rub against her. Her hand slowly slid down his chest, then his stomach, before she cupped his burgeoning erection between them.

He growled and playfully bit her lip. “Greedy little one, aren't you?”

She smirked and with his help, managed to undo his shorts button and zipper, leaving only his boxers in the way. One step closer, she teased him through his boxers before coaxing his member out of the slit and into the warm night air.

She slowly traced her fingers up the shaft, earning a sharp intake of breath from him. She wrapped her hand around him, feeling the silky smooth skin of his erection as she teased him. She pulled out a condom from his pocket, allowing him to roll it on before her. She lifted herself up, pushing her panties aside so the very tip of him slid inside before she stopped.

“What do you want?” She breathed, feeling playful as he stared at her with lust filled eyes. He growled in response, causing her to withdraw completely. “Oh, I could have sworn you wanted this...”

As she anticipated, he grabbed her hips and thrust himself into her with a satisfied groan. She sighed onto his lips, their foreheads touching as she took over the thrusts. She felt so much fuller in this position, as if she could feel every inch of him inside of her with each thrust.

“God, Belle, you feel _amazing_ ,” he breathed, his fingers digging into her hips with each thrust.

She felt the sweat on her brow and her legs grow tired as she continued, not wanting the feeling to end. She let her own hand stray down her body, finding her clit as she teased herself. She could tell he was getting close the more he grabbed her and deeply met her thrusts in a frenzy. She felt the familiar sensation of an orgasm coming, but she didn't want to be alone.

With panted breathing she leaned into his ear. “I'm so close. I want you to cum for me. Cum deep inside me, Raghnall,” she cried as she felt her own orgasm wash over her, his not far behind as he groaned and captured her lips in a crushing kiss.

After a few seconds they stilled, their labored breathing filling the air between them. He opened his eyes and she smiled when they met hers. With the stars above them and the lake behind them, she could stay there forever.

 


	16. Chapter 16

Much to her dismay they left early on Friday to head back into Storybrooke. He was anxious to get back to work and she had wanted to see Ruby for as long as she could before she left for New York. It hadn't stopped them from enjoying themselves for one last time, though.

She continued to read _Her Handsome Hero_ on the way back, at his suggestion. It was an easy ride back and before she knew it they pulled up to her apartment. “You don't need to walk me up,” she said as she grabbed her bag. She did not need more embarrassment from Ruby.

“Who said I was going to?”

She shook her head at his cheekiness. “Ass.”

“Finally she gets it,” he teased.

“Thank you for taking me. I had a... really good time.”

He smiled, his eyes soft as he looked at her. “Me too.” She leaned in and gave him a quick goodbye peck. “Now go tell Miss Lucas what an exceptional lover I am.”

She didn't want to laugh, but it was nice seeing him a little carefree around her that she couldn't help it. She lightly smacked him on the arm as she got out of the car. “A lady never tells.”

He smirked in response and waited to leave until she disappeared into the building. Truthfully, she couldn't wait to see Ruby. She took deep breaths before she walked into their apartment and found several boxes lined up by the door. Archie walked out of the bedroom and gave her a warm smile. “Good morning Belle. How was your trip?”

Before she had a chance to answer Ruby flew out of the bathroom. “How was it? Did you have sex? Was it amazing? How many times did you--”

“I'm going to go for a walk,” Archie announced with a shy smile as he quickly left the apartment.

“It was nice. Really nice,” she admitted as moved to set down her bag on her bed.

“I'd say so! Look at you! I've never seen you this relaxed. You're glowing. Who knew he had it in him!” Belle couldn't help but grin as she started to unpack. “What are you doing? I need details!” Ruby stepped in front of her, cutting her off from her bag.

“So we had sex,” she admitted.

“Well no shit,” Ruby said with a grin. “How many times?”

“I lost count. We didn't really discriminate when it came to where or when...”

Ruby's jaw dropped. “Who are you and what did you do with Belle?”

She shrugged, shyly looking away from her friend. “The man is really good with his hands. And his mouth. And... other things.”

Her friend let out a squeal and jumped up and down from excitement. “ _Finally_. So how big is he?”

“Ruby!”

She sighed. “Fine, is he bigger than Gaston?”

She blushed as images of his naked body flooded her. “Oh yeah. No contest.”

“Suck it Gaston!” Ruby said as she pumped her fist.

She shook her head and walked around to continue putting her stuff away. “Are you guys ready to leave tomorrow?”

“I think so. It'll be different. I've never lived with a man before.”

She was right. She had been raised by her grandmother growing up, her own mother passing when she was young and she never knew her father. Her grandfather passed before she was born. When Granny passed away she moved in with Emma until she got her own place after finding the website that lead her to Archie. And then Belle moved in.

“Archie seems like a good guy. He also seems clean, so I don't think you'll have to worry about picking up after him.” Gaston got better over time, but she almost shivered when she remembered the beginning of their relationship.

“I'm not worried about that.” Ruby sat on her bed, looking at her hands with a frown. “I've never been been one for commitment, not like you or Maggie. What if I get there and I freak out and mess everything up?”

It was a valid concern. It didn't take a therapist to know ever since she was little Ruby had abandonment issues. She had struggled with it her whole life. Belle sat beside her.

“Archie likes you. He's probably been trying to make you feel as comfortable and safe as possible. You have to communicate with him and let him know what's going on. He's better equipped than most to understand and help you work through it.”

She huffed out a laugh. “He's the King of understanding.”

“See? You've got nothing to worry about. And if for some reason it doesn't work out, you are always welcome back here.”

“Unless things happen with you and the Beast.” She said with a wink.

“Don't call him that. Besides, that'll never happen.”

Ruby stood with a smirk. “Keep giving him mind blowing sex and I'm sure he'll have you moved in like _that_ ,” she said with a snap of her fingers.

She rolled her eyes. “Doubtful.”

“You never know,” she sang as she walked out.

She didn't dare to dream. They had spent some pretty amazing days together, but men were easily swayed when sex was involved. She wasn't about to fool herself that he could have feelings for her other than those of lust and friendship. She could wrap her head around those and she allowed to feel them herself, but anything further was dangerous territory. She had been burned before, she wasn't going to make a fool of herself and do it again.

–

Ruby and Archie had left early on Saturday, leaving her alone for the foreseeable future. Rum had barely texted her, but she knew he was busy with work. He had a dinner that night with some board members that didn't require her presence.

Ruby had texted her and told her they had arrived safely and she was going to spend the weekend moving in. Mary Margaret was apparently out of town with her married lover and Emma was working.

She had managed the silence of the apartment Sunday, reading and cleaning the now bare space. She had wanted to talk to Rum, but he had informed her he'd be at the office all day and he wasn't sure when he'd be available.

Monday she had been scheduled to work at the library, which was a welcoming distraction from her loneliness. She got to do story time with the kids again, which was always her favorite, and after her shift was over she stuck around to help out. She picked out books on hobbies, figuring she had the time between then and school to do something more than read.

She couldn't depend on piano lessons as her schedule would be unpredictable. She wasn't adept at arts and crafts, no mater how many times Mary Margaret tried to teach her to knit. In the end she settled on running, because it was free and once upon a time she enjoyed it. She could do it any time and if she was going to be eating like she was, she needed to make sure she didn't gain too much weight.

On Tuesday she settled to go out and buy sneakers and workout clothes since she didn't own any. She checked her bank account to see what she could afford and noticed there seemed to be an error. There were thousands of dollars in her account that hadn't been there days ago.

She looked to see what had been deposited and her heart stopped.

The exact balance of a semester of tuition had been transferred to her account, along with her rent. He hadn't wasted any time with the transfer.

Was that how he saw it? Her body in exchange for more money? It had felt like more than that. She thought it mattered. She thought he'd forget.

She felt sick. She knew what she signed, but she never thought she'd go through with it. And now that she had? It tied her stomach in knots. She was not that kind of girl. She didn't judge Ruby for it, so why was she judging herself?

She quickly dialed her friend, knowing she would be a voice of reason. After a few rings she answered.

“Hey Belle.”

“Hey. You got a minute?”

“Of course. Is everything ok?” Her voice turned concerned.

“Yeah, I'm just having a Belle moment,” she said with a nervous chuckle. “I found a semesters worth of tuition in my bank account this morning.”

“That's awesome!” After a few seconds of silence she amended, “Or not?”

She sighed. “I feel like a whore. No offense.”

Ruby snorted. “None taken. It was in the contract, wasn't it? What did you think would happen?”

She shrugged even though she knew her friend wasn't there to see it. “I don't know. It felt... It felt like more than that, Ruby. I can't take all that money. It's too much for something that I wanted to do.”

“If you don't want it you can give it to me,” she joked, earning a small smile from Belle. “The man has tons of money, I doubt he'll miss it. You know I love you, but sometimes you read into things a bit. Maybe you are, maybe you aren't, but you should prepare yourself for the possibility that it was... well, nothing.”

She chewed her lip, knowing that Ruby was right. “Then what do I do? I can't take this money. Knowing that it's there... knowing why... it makes me sick.”

“I will never understand you.” She could feel Ruby shaking her head through the phone. “I guess you can see if he'll take it back. Or—here's an idea—put it towards your next semester of school because you're broke and finally catching a break.”

Belle rolled her eyes. “I'll make him take it back.”

“It's your life,” she mumbled. “Just know that I think that's the worst idea ever.”

“I know. Thanks for letting me talk it out.”

“Any time. Let me know how it works out.”

They said goodbye and she immediately texted Rum, asking if he was available. After she waited thirty minutes he responded, _No._

Nothing else, just his simple response. Well if he was too busy for her, she would come to him. She'd wait how ever long it took.

He was going to take it back. She was going to make him take it back whether he wanted to or not. She had no idea where his office was, but she knew someone who did.

She quickly dialed his number, only ringing a few times before he answered. “Hello Miss Belle.”

“Hi Ben. I need you to take me to Rum's office, please.”

“Is everything all right?”

He sounded concerned and that was sweet, except she didn't have the time to care. “I'm fine. I just need to speak with him.”

“Of course. I'll be by in fifteen minutes.”

She breathed a sigh of relief before looking down at her ratty t-shirt and shorts. She might have been a mess, but she wasn't going to walk in looking like she was. With only fifteen minutes she threw on a conservative gray dress that looked like she'd belong in an office and a pair of flats. She didn't trust herself not to break an ankle in her heels in her current state.

She quickly applied some make-up and put her hair up into a modest bun. By the time she was done, her buzzer sounded, signaling Ben's arrival.

She smiled when she saw him and when he opened the back door, she told him she wanted to sit up front with him. It clearly unnerved him, but she was going to make him comfortable around her one way or another.

“So, uh, why do you need to see Mr. Gold?”

She could have lied, but there was no point. “I guess I'm just a little upset about something and need to discuss it with him.”

Ben seemed surprised. Not so much that she was upset with Rum, but that she had admitted it. “Oh. Are you sure you want to do this now?”

“I'd hate to pry him away from his precious desk for five minutes, so I'm coming to him.”

“Ah.” He seemed to have realized that she was not going to change her mind and the rest of their drive remained quiet. He pulled up to very modern looking building and parked. “I'll need to walk in with you, there's security on the way in.”

Apparently Dark Castle was more advanced than she anticipated. She walked in with Ben as he used his pass to clear the entrance manned by the security guard. He walked her to the front desk and told them to set her up with a visitor pass before he left. She had to sign in, but thanks to Ben they told her where Rum could be found and she took the elevator up to the fourth floor.

She took a right and walked down a hallway, passing several offices and a large space filled with cubicles, until she found the desk she was looking for with the blond assistant. “Hi, I'm here to see Mr. Gold.”

She politely smiled. “Of course, do you have an appointment?”

“Not exactly, but just tell him Belle is here to see him.”

The name seemed to mean nothing to _Ashle_ y _Boyd_ or so her nameplate read, as she frowned. “I'm sorry, but unless you have an appointment...”

She smiled back, determined to see him. “Please, trust me. He'll want to see me.”

She chewed her lip as she stared at the closed wooden door and then looked back to her. “It's just, he's been in such a mood today Miss. I don't think it's such a good idea. Maybe if you came back tomorrow? Or I can make you an appointment?”

She felt bad for the girl, she truly did. If Rum was in a mood that meant their conversation was not going to go well. Fortunately for her, Ashley didn't know that.

“Sorry, I know he can be a little hard to handle at times, but hopefully I can help?” She offered with a smile. “I'm his girlfriend. Belle French. I'm trying to surprise him, he's been a bit grumpy these past few days.”

“Oh,” she said with genuine surprise and then Belle watched her eyes quickly look her up and down. “Let me just check...” She quickly dialed a number. “Yes, sir. Yes, I know... but there is a Miss French here to see you? Yes. Okay.” She hung up and offered a hopeful smile. “He said you can go in.”

She only hoped he was okay with her showing up to his workplace. They hadn't discussed it and given what she knew, it was possible he'd be irritated with her, too. She walked into his office, making sure she shut the door behind her. His office was big, with large windows overlooking some woods and bookshelves lining the wall.

He seemed engrossed in whatever he was writing down that she bristled at the fact he didn't even offer a hello. She walked and stood in front of his desk and cleared her throat, thinking he might not have noticed she entered.

“I did say that I was busy.”

She had heard that biting tone of his voice, but it had never been directed to her before now. She stood up straighter. “I needed to talk to you about something.”

He sighed and glanced up at her. “And it couldn't wait until later?”

Even though inside she felt unsure, she tried her best to look fierce on the outside. “You haven't had time to talk to me in days, and it's not like I've been bothering you. I thought I'd save you a trip.”

He continued his writing. “Alas, you could have saved yourself one. I'm busy.”

She watched as he continued to work, her jaw clenching in irritation. “I only wanted to talk about the extra money that was deposited into my account this morning.”

He huffed and flipped to the next page. “You're wasting my time because of that? I'm upholding my end of the contract. I never break a deal.”

She clenched her fists, finding herself shaking. “Is that all it was to you? A contract? What, did you call the morning after to start the transfer? You couldn't even wait?”

“You were sleeping. It seemed a good a time as any,” he remarked as he placed a tab on the packet of paper in front of him.

She wouldn't admit it, but his words stung. Clearly their time together did not mean the same things to him as it did to her. “I don't want it. Take it back.”

“No.” His tone was final.

“Take it back or so help me...”

He chuckled. “Or what? You'll break our deal? Unlikely. Now, I've got a lot of work to do and this is due in an hour, so if you don't mind,” he waved in the direction of the door.

She wasn't sure where the fire inside came from, but she was tired. Tired of being treated less than by anyone, especially a man. Tired of taking their shit and not doing anything about it. “No. I came here intending to be civil about this, but you're... honestly, you're being a real asshole. You won't even look at me, you coward.”

His jaw twitched and she knew she was pushing him. “I already know what you look like, even underneath that dress, so I'm not going to waste my time to do so.”

Fury swept through her at his cocky tone and in one quick motion, she pushed every piece of paper, pen and office supply off of his desk and onto his floor. Finally, he looked up at her, anger and shock in his eyes.

“Now do you have a minute? I know you're stressed and important and too busy for some contracted whore, but that does _not_ give you the right to be disrespectful and rude to me. If this is how you're going to treat me when I'm not convenient for you, then yes, I will rip up that contract and set it on fire _in this office_. I'll return every god damn cent you've given me and I'll go back to waiting tables and I'll figure it out. I don't need you and I sure as hell don't deserve to be treated like this. You can find someone else. Hope you have a great fucking rest of your day.”

She turned around and walked out of his office without another word. Ashley looked up at her with a hopeful smile.

Belle winced, knowing she had made the poor woman's day worse. “I'm sorry.”

She walked away, down the elevator and back into the car with Ben. He didn't ask any questions and he did his best to act like he didn't see her wiping away tears. She gave him a watery goodbye and let herself into her apartment before the rest of the tears fell.

She had thought she would be different, that maybe he would care about her. Instead she saw the Beast everyone had warned her about and in the end she was the same as everyone else. Just some girl who didn't even deserve the respect of his time or attention.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry? But also not, because I had a little too much fun writing this chapter. Alas, I will fix it! Rum will pull his head out of his ass, I promise.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the lovely comments and kudos! Seriously, they are the highlight of my day.

Belle wasn't sure how long she should wait before she begged for her old job back at the diner. She was pretty sure that after she had destroyed his desk, Rum would want nothing to do with her. At this point, she wasn't quite sure she wanted anything from him either.

In the heat of the moment she had never wanted to see him again. She was still upset with him, but she'd be lying to herself if she said she didn't miss him. If anything he was a distraction from the loneliness and good company when he wasn't being an ass. She stared at her spreadsheet with a frown.

She could give him the tuition back easily enough, but she would have to drain her savings to come up with three months rent—two he paid for that she'd have to return and one for next month. She hadn't bought her books yet, so she could return that money. Of course at this point she would have to drop out and delay school for another year, but it was just a minor set back.

It had only been nine hours since their argument, but she anticipated him being prompt when it came to collect what was his. Although if she didn't have the money, what could he do? She had nothing to her name and there was nothing he could take from her.

The sound of her buzzer made her jump. She hadn't ordered any food and as far as she knew she wasn't expecting anyone. She walked to the speaker. “Who is it?”

There was a pause. “Uh... It's Rum.”

Her eyebrows shot up. He was faster than she expected. “I won't have your money together for a couple of days.”

Another pause. “That's not why I'm here. Can I come up? I'd like to talk...please.”

_Now he wanted to talk_. How convenient. She should have told him she was too busy and didn't have time for him. Part of her wanted to. The other part wanted to be the better person. She weighed her options and sighed. She was going to be the bigger person.

She buzzed him up and opened the door when he knocked. When his eyes met hers he winced. She wasn't surprised since her eyes were still puffy from earlier. Her hair was up in a sloppy bun and she had changed back into her t-shirt and shorts.

He, of course, was in his usual three piece suit.

She stepped aside and motioned for him to walk in as she shut the door behind him. He stopped in front of the table, noticing her laptop and several sheets of paper scattered about. She shut her laptop and shuffled the papers together to get them out of the way. It wasn't like she could hide what she had been doing, one of the sheets said BUDGET in all caps and everything had numbers on it. He was an ass, but he wasn't stupid.

“Do you want something to drink? I only have water, so...” And it was from the tap. He was probably too good for tap water.

He shook his head. “No, thank you.”

He leaned on his cane more than usual and she could sense the discomfort on his face. She might not have liked him in that moment, but she wasn't the monster. “Please, sit.” She took a seat herself, hoping he would follow.

He slowly eased into the chair, a relieved sigh escaping his lips. “I'm sure you know why I'm here.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You told me you weren't here to collect the money, so no, not really.”

He nodded. “I deserve that.”

In a matter of days the shadows returned to his face. He looked troubled again, any amount of happiness from their trip had been sucked away. “What are you doing here?”

“Right,” he said as if he had forgotten. “After you left I was...angry, to put it mildly. I was already in a mood, but it worsened.” She fought the urge to snort at such an obvious statement. “I was also shocked. No one had spoken to me that way in a very long time and I wasn't quite sure how to feel about it.” Again, another obvious statement. “Then I received a call from Jefferson. He informed me that Mr. Dove had driven you home and that you had been upset.”

She should have sworn Ben to secrecy. She should have known he would say something.

“Jefferson chewed me out, more or less, once I explained what happened. I was in no mood to be told I was wrong, so I hung up on him. As you can imagine, he didn't take it well. Little bugger showed up to my office and chewed me out in person.”

She could imagine Jefferson being upset. He no doubt had heard how well their vacation had gone and pat himself on the back. He certainly didn't want to see it unravel so quickly.

“I didn't listen and I had Mr. Dove drive me home. He refused to speak to me. When I got home, I found Mrs. Potts had 'forgotten' to make me dinner. All of the closest members of my staff that have served me for years were retaliating against me, because of you. In such a brief moment of time you have entranced them, something I will never be able to do. And how could I blame them? You're lovely, far better to me than I deserve.”

“I honestly didn't mean for any of that to happen.” She only wanted to make a point, not start a mutiny with his employees.

He flashed a brief smile. “I know. You're better than that. I didn't fully process everything until I was alone. I thought about what Jefferson said and the look on your face when you left...” His eyes found the table as he swallowed.

“I understand if you would like to call everything off. I was disrespectful and rude and you deserve far better than that. I won't sit here and try to justify my actions to you. There is no excuse for my behavior. I reacted poorly and out of anger. If you want to call it off, you can keep all of the money. I don't want it back. If you want don't want to call it off... I refuse to be the reason you cry. Not again, not ever.”

He slowly looked up and met her eyes. “I'm sorry for the way I treated you. Will you ever be able to forgive me?”

He looked more vulnerable than she had ever seen him, his eyes full of sadness, the same kind she used to see staring back at her in the mirror. She always believed in second chances and fortunately for him she wasn't going to stop now. “I might consider it... If you take the money back.”

A very faint, hopeful smile appeared. “Contractually, you are owed that money. I wasn't lying when I said I never break a deal.”

She sighed. “I know what I agreed to. I know that I'm entitled to it, but I didn't have sex with you for money. It makes me feel dirty. I thought I could do it, but I can't. I can go to all these parties and put on a show and do that without guilt, but I can't have sex with you and get a payout.”

He nodded. “So you would rather our relationship was strictly platonic.”

She frowned, somewhat confused. “What? No. Is that what you want? I liked our time at the cabin. I wouldn’t mind more of that, I just... don't want it involving money.”

“Oh.” He blinked, as if he hadn't considered the possibility at all. “Really?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Do you honestly think I did it because of the money and not because I wanted to?”

“Well, uh...” He re-adjusted himself in his chair. “No one has ever wanted to be with me just because they wanted to.”

She thought she misheard him, but one look at him and he was... embarrassed. “Oh! Well, I don't care if you've, you know... had to pay for it in the past. That's fine. No judgment.”

“What?” His eyes widened. “No! I mean—not that it's wrong—but... no. I've never, not until...” He let out the breath he was holding. “Milah always had her motives and the few women after never would have been with me if I didn't have money. I could've been anyone as long as I had the right amount of zeros in my bank account.”

“And I did sign the contract with that clause,” she filled in, seeing him nod. “You thought I was just like everyone else.”

“It's a lonely world I live in,” he said in an attempt to lighten the mood.

“You pay me enough in orgasms, I don't need money too. Gaston never...” She shrugged.

She realized she never told him that fact as his eyebrows raised and he grinned. “Interesting.”

He looked entirely too pleased with himself for someone who was apologizing. “But it doesn't mean anything if you don't take the money back.”

“Of course. I'm sure if you're agreeable, we can amend our contract to take out that clause. Once it's signed, you can transfer the money back to me.”

She nodded. “When can I expect this contract?”

“Friday. I can have Mr. Dove bring you over to my house for dinner. We can sign the contract and I can spend the night showing you how sorry I am.”

His intentions were clear and even though that's what started this whole thing, she missed his touch. “Okay.”

He stood with a grin. “Great. I'll make sure to get that set up. I, ah... I appreciate you taking the time to talk with me. You didn't have to and I don't know what I would have done if you didn't let me apologize.”

She offered him a shy smile. “I should apologize too. I'm sorry that I reacted the way I did. We never discussed if it was okay for me to drop by your work. I realize that maybe I shouldn't have, at least not before talking to you about it first.”

“Had I not been an arse, it would've been the highlight of my day,” he admitted. “You don't need to ask permission, you're always welcome.” He shifted his feet as he stared down at his watch. “I do have work to get to, unfortunately. I didn't quite get everything done after... well, after you left.”

She stood, walking him the short distance to the door. “I'll see you Friday.”

He placed a soft kiss on her forehead. “I'll be counting down the days.” He gave her a final smile before he left.

That wasn't how she expected her night to go. She wasn't going to forget how he had treated her, but she could definitely let him make it up to her.

–

Belle was casually eating breakfast when she heard the buzzer. Did anyone use phones anymore? She knew it wasn't Rum, he had sent her a good morning text not even thirty minutes prior and it seemed pretty obvious she wouldn't be seeing him until Friday. Confused, she went to the speaker. “Hello?”

“It's Jefferson. Can you let me up?”

“Jefferson? How do you know where I live?”

“Dove drove me. Can I come up?”

“Sure.” She buzzed him up, opening the door so he knew which apartment was hers. He smiled wide when he saw her and let himself into her apartment, giving her a crushing hug.

She tried to ignore the fact that she was in her pajamas and wasn't wearing a bra as she patted him back.

“Gold told me that he apologized, but I had to come make sure myself. Did he apologize? Is everything okay?”

He searched her face for any clues and it warmed her heart knowing someone else cared about her. “He did. Everything is fine now.” She returned to her cereal, not wanting it to get too soggy.

“Thank God. All of us were so worried.” He sat in the chair next to her, casually picking up her box of cereal to read the back of it.

She eyed him as he made himself at home. “I heard you really banded together.”

He set the box down with a grin. “Oh, yes. Dove likes you, you know. Not in _that_ way, but you know what I mean. I of course am rooting for you, and Mrs. Potts kind of acts like Gold's mother from time to time, so it wasn't hard to get everyone on the same page. He's a stubborn bastard, but he sees to reason.”

She snorted. “That's one way to put it. Anyway, I appreciate you guys coming together for me. You didn't have to.”

“Oh, once he told me what happened it was an easy decision. I had my suspicions, but when he told me what you did I _knew_ he liked you.”

She eyed him carefully. “What do you mean?”

“I saw him after your trip, something came up and I had to see him immediately. I don't think I've ever seen him like that before. He was happy, which I know sounds like nothing, but it's a rare occasion. Then he told me that you lost your shit and he just let you walk away? I'm not surprised he was an asshole. He doesn't quite know what to do about having feelings for someone. He's like the little boy who pulls on the girls pigtails in school because he likes her.”

Her heart fluttered in her chest, but she couldn't be too excited. Jefferson was trying to play cupid, after all. “I think you're over exaggerating. Also, I don't know if he'll need you or not, but we're amending the contract on Friday. I guess he'll let you know more.”

“ _What?!_ ”

Belle jumped. “I just thought you'd want a heads up, is all. Was I not supposed to say anything?”

His eyes widened as he let out a loud, crazy laugh. “He's got it bad. He never, ever, and I mean _ever_ , breaks or re-negotiates a deal. Hasn't happened since I started working for him anyway.”

“So?” Her heart was beating faster in her chest as she tried to eat her cereal without shaky hands.

“ _So_?” He laughed. “He likes you. He won't admit it, he probably doesn't want to admit it, but it's so obvious. I thought this was going to take months.”

As much as she wanted to believe his words, she couldn't. Jefferson could say what he wanted, but until Rum told her himself, she would think of them as friends. “If you say so.”

He stood, a content sigh falling from his lips. “I do. Everyone's going to be so happy you've made up.”

“You guys need a hobby.”

He chuckled, showing himself out the door. “But playing cupid is so much fun! And I'm so good at it!” He blew her a kiss before happily walking out.

She wasn't sure whether or not to tell Rum, but she decided he might be better off not knowing. She didn't want any extreme reaction over Jefferson telling her that Rum had feelings for her, even if she didn't believe him. She couldn't believe him, there was no way it could be true.

Yet it happened to Ruby and Archie. To her knowledge they didn't have any fights and when she was with them it was obvious that they liked each other. Considering none of her friends approved of Rum as a person, they would definitely err on the side of caution and say he was a ruthless businessman taking advantage of a sweet girl in need of money. They'd come around eventually. 

For now she would be careful and try to enjoy whatever life threw at her.

 


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone for the comments! For the purposes of this fic, Granny's diner exists but it has no affiliation to Ruby.

Rum told her to dress nicely—but not too nice—for their dinner and Ben would be picking her up promptly at seven. Which wasn't for another six hours. She already planned on how she was doing her hair and what dress she was going to wear, but she wasn't about to get ready six hours early. She could, however, pack an overnight bag. It couldn't hurt to be prepared.

As she zippered up her bag her buzzer sounded. She checked the time to verify it wouldn't be Ben. Since apparently anyone could show up at her apartment these days she walked to the speaker. “Hello?”

“Delivery for Belle French,” a gruff voice said.

“But I didn't order anything.”

“Yeah but someone did. Do you want it or not?”

She made a face at her intercom. Someone was grumpy. “I'll be right down.”

She walked down the stairs, noticing a delivery man holding what appeared to be flowers that looked bigger than him. She opened the door and he asked, “You Belle French?” She nodded and he thrust the flowers into her arms. “Have a good day,” he mumbled before he walked off.

It was quite a large arrangement she realized as she carried it up stairs and set it on the counter. She took off the wrapping, seeing she had been sent roses of every color—yellow, red, orange, pink, white... A note stuck out and she quickly unfolded it.

_Belle,_

_You are the kindest, loveliest, tenderest, and most beautiful person I have ever known-and even that is an understatement._

_Can't wait to see you tonight._

_Yours,_

_Rum_

His note was a quote from _Her Handsome Hero._ It was one of her favorite lines and it was towards the end of the book. Which meant he must have finished it on his own. She grinned, inhaling the scent of each and every rose as her heart fluttered.

She had mentioned that her favorite flower was a rose in passing. It was possible it was a coincidence, but she also specifically mentioned loving roses of all colors, not just the red ones.

She quickly texted him that she received the roses and that they were lovely. She didn't want to seem ungrateful after all.

Her buzzer sounded again, but this time she couldn't bring herself to be annoyed when she answered. “Hello?”

“Belle? It's M-Mary Margaret.” She sounded upset and Belle's heart sank.

“Come on up,” she said as she buzzed her through. She opened the door, revealing her ashen, tear streaked friend. “Oh Mags.” She enveloped her in a hug and pulled her inside. “Do you want something to drink?”

Her friend shook her head as Belle led her to the couch. Belle grabbed a box of tissues and set it next to her. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Mary Margaret nodded her head, but when she tried to speak all that came out were sobs and tears. Belle rubbed her back, waiting for her sobs to die down. She knew it was only a matter of time before her man decided to throw her friend away, but knowing it would happen didn't make it easier.

“Belle, I'm... I've really messed up.” She wiped her tears away with the tissue, sniffling as she did so.

“Did his wife find out?”

“David,” she sniffled. “That's his name. But no, she doesn't know.”

She frowned. What else could it be? “What happened?”

“I'm pregnant.”

Belle stared at her friend, wondering if she had heard correctly. By the amount of tears she was shedding, she guessed she had. “Oh. What did David say?”

She shook her head as more tears fell. “He doesn't know. I don't know how to tell him. What if he l-leaves me? W-what if I'm going to be a s-s-single m-mother?”

“If you have to be a single mom, then so be it. If he doesn't want anything to do with you or your child he's an idiot and he doesn't deserve you. If you really think he cares about you... you need to tell him. Does he want kids?”

That seemed to bring out a watery smile. “Oh yeah. He's been trying with his wife, but she doesn't want kids. It's one of the reasons he's been so unhappy.”

“Then he might be happy?” She offered with a smile. “It'll either make him leave his wife or it won't, which has always been the case. If he doesn't want to man up, then you've always got me. You can move in here if you want, rent free, to save up some money if you had to.”

She smiled again. “I couldn't do that to you. I know you're going back to school and how could you even afford not having me pay anything?”

“Well... honestly I'm not paying my rent now, Rum is. He knew how I was going to have a hard time going back, so he took the stress away by covering my living expenses for this semester. The perks of having a rich boyfriend,” she joked. She knew her friend would understand their arrangement, but she also wasn't good about keeping secrets like Ruby was. She couldn't risk it.

She nodded as if she understood. “I guess I wouldn't feel so bad then, living here if I had to. My teacher's salary doesn't exactly cover a lot.”

“See? It's not so bad. Talk to David and go from there. Let me know what he says, okay?”

“Okay,” she sniffed. “I'm seeing him tomorrow, so I have a whole day to prepare myself for it.”

“Good. You know what? If David is as great as you say he is, I bet he'll be so happy. You're going to be a great mother.” She grabbed her friends hands and squeezed.

Mary Margaret stood as she tried to breathe normally, squeezing back. “Thanks Belle. I needed that.”

“You can stay. You don't have to leave.”

She shrugged. “I should go home and think about what I'm going to do tomorrow. I just needed someone else to know. I didn't want to be alone.”

“Of course. Anything you need, let me know.” Mary Margaret gave her a tight hug, before she let go with a watery smile.

“Thanks Belle. You're the best.” They nodded to each other as she walked her friend to her car. When she walked back up to her apartment she stared at the flowers sitting on the table.

They were having sex now and she was pretty sure both of them were adamant about using protection. She was not planning on children anytime soon, but Mary Margaret was proof that accidents happen. From what she could remember, there was no clause in their contract that discussed what would happen in the event of a pregnancy.

She didn't want to find herself in that position. She quickly typed a response to Rum. _I think we're going to need to revise the contract again. I'll explain later._

She was honestly surprised neither of them had factored in that possibility. Of course when she first entered into the contract she didn't think she'd be having sex with him. It was funny how fast things changed.

–

She couldn't help but smile when she saw Ben waiting for her by the car. “Having a good night Ben?”

He eyed the bag slung across her shoulder and shyly smiled. “Maybe not as good as yours.” She stopped when she realized what he said and saw the moment he realized he said it aloud. She laughed loudly as he stuttered, “I-I didn't mean...”

She patted his shoulder. “You're not wrong,” she replied with a grin as she sat in the passenger seat.

His blush took a minute to wear off as they drove. “I'm glad to see you happy, Miss Belle.”

“I won't be if you keep calling me Miss,” she teased. “But thank you, really. Jefferson told me how everyone came together thanks to you. It was really sweet of you.”

He blushed further. “It was nothing.”

“You're a good man,” she said with a smile. “I haven't forgotten about finding you a girlfriend, you know. Any girl would be lucky to have you.”

“Oh, I-I don't know about that.”

Even the mere mention of it had him fidgeting in nervousness. She bit her lip to keep herself from smiling further. “Do you have preferences? Brunettes, red heads, blonds? Tall, short, smart, quiet...”

His blush spread across his cheeks and down his neck. “Uh, n-no.”

“You're not making this any easier on me Ben,” she joked in an attempt to lighten the mood. “In all seriousness, if you could pick any quality to have in a potential girlfriend, what would it be?”

He blinked at the question, but she could see that he was mulling it over. After a minute the car grew silent and she thought she might have pushed him too far until he quietly responded, “She would be kind.”

Her heart clenched at his words, wondering who in his past hurt him to elicit that response. “That's a good one.” The mood had shifted and as much as she wanted to know what happened in his past, she knew it wasn't her place to ask. She turned to look out her window, the car growing quiet.

The rest of their ride was filled with idle chatter as he drove them to a more suburban area. She had expected Rum to live in some kind of penthouse apartment in the city, not the suburbs. It was when they pulled into the driveway of a pink Victorian that she was really confused.

“He lives in a pink house?”

Ben grinned. “Don't tell him that. He says it's salmon colored.”

She grinned. “If he didn't want me to call his house pink, he shouldn't have bought a pink house.” She grabbed her bag and leaned to give Ben a quick kiss on the cheek. “Thanks Ben. I'll see you tomorrow.”

He blushed profusely and waved her goodbye. She walked up the stairs and rang the doorbell. She was a little nervous about being in his home for the first time, but he wouldn't have invited her if he didn't want her there.

He opened the door, his eyes sparkling as he looked at her. She wore the lacey blue dress that she had on in her profile picture, her hair down in similar waves. She wanted a new, happier memory of the dress. One that wasn't tainted.

He was dressed in his usual slacks, but his suit jacket, vest and tie had been removed and his sleeves were rolled up. She knew he was supposed to be making up for his behavior, but damn if he didn't look good enough shag right there.

“Come in,” he gestured as she walked through the door way. “You look beautiful.”

That had been her goal, now she could be happy that she achieved it. “Where can I put this?” She held up her overnight bag.

He gestured behind him. “You can set it here by the stairs. The bedrooms are up there, we can take it up later. Right now, our food is getting cold.”

He took her hand and led her through to his dining area where she saw two plates with juicy burgers, french fries and glasses filled with iced tea. She turned to him, knowing she was smiling ear to ear. “You got us burgers from Granny's?”

He pulled her chair out for her. “You once mentioned they were your favorite food ever, if I recall.” She sat down as he pushed her forward, taking his own seat beside her.

Granny's had been her favorite diner growing up, but it was on the other side of town and too far for her to walk to and not near anything else. She wasted no time picking up the burger and taking a large very unladylike bite out of it.

She closed her eyes and savored the taste of everything coming together in her mouth, including Granny's special sauce. “Mmmm,” she hummed to herself as she swallowed. When she opened her eyes she noticed he was watching her with an amused grin.

“I don't think I've ever seen someone so happy to eat a burger.”

“Not just any burger. It's a Granny's burger.” She chomped on a french fry as she took a sip of the iced tea and sighed. “I haven't been since before I left for Boston.” She took another bite, unable to stop the grin that formed as she looked at her plate. Nothing had changed, all these years.

He didn't seem to be getting as much enjoyment from his meal, but he was eating it. “This makes you happy? Really?”

“Really,” she said as she ate some fries. “I'm a simple woman. Sometimes it really is that easy.”

“Wait until you see dessert.”

She stopped with a french fry mid-air in her hand. “Wait a minute. I never told you what my favorite dessert was.” She popped the fry into her mouth. “I'm sure I will love whatever it is.”

He smirked. “I got us some cupcakes from _Get Baked_.”

That was her favorite bakery and they sold her favorite cupcakes. “How did you know?”

“I called Ruby, she was more than happy to clue me in.”

She had some talking to do with her best friend after she was done, but now she was too happy to care. “You think you are so smooth, treating me to all my favorite things.”

“Is it working?”

She chewed a piece of her hamburger, letting him sit and wait while she did so. “Absolutely.”

They shared a smile as they continued to eat in companionable silence. It wasn't until Rum was done with his food that he broke the silence. “So what was this about another revision to the contract?”

“Oh, right.” She had almost forgotten about that. “So one of my friends came to me upset today, she found out she was pregnant. She has no idea if the guy will own up to it or not, it's this whole thing. Anyway, it got me thinking. Obviously we're both pretty responsible about making sure we're protected and I have no plans for kids in the near future, but there's nothing in the contract about what would happen if I got pregnant.”

“Ah.” He rubbed his chin, his face turning pensive. “I'm a little ashamed I didn't think to add that.”

“To be fair it didn't occur to me until today. Neither of us is planning for it to happen and I don't see it happening, but...”

He nodded. “You're right, there should be a clause in there. The only question is, how would we want to handle it should it ever happen?”

That was what it all came down to, wasn't it? “I know what I'd want to do.”

He stared at her, clearing his throat as he said, “Me as well. What is your preference?”

She was surprised he had formed an opinion so fast, but he had been in the position before, so she supposed it wasn't too surprising. “I'd want to keep it. And I guess I'd just hope that you would be willing to co-parent, because I'd want it to have both of its parents.”

His shoulders sagged in... relief? “I would want the same thing. I'd of course be willing to support you and the child.”

“Nothing too much. As long as the kid was provided for, that's all that matters.”

“We can sign this one tonight and I'll add that bit as an addendum that we can sign later. Does that work for you? ”

She smiled into her iced tea. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

“Good.” He grinned, standing up to pick up their plates and take them into the kitchen. She followed him, noticing the box of cupcakes on the counter. “Later,” he promised. “I've got something to show you.”

He held out his hand and she took it as he led her down the hallway and into a room through double doors. As soon as she stepped inside she gasped. It was his library. Bookshelves from floor to ceiling, completely filled from wall to wall. She let her fingers glide over the titles as she read every one. “You weren't kidding, there is absolutely no organization in here.”

He chuckled. “I figured you could find a something that interested you and we could relax with a book.”

She looked over her shoulder, seeing he was watching her with that softness in his eyes. So far she had only seen him look at her that way. Feeling confident in herself she strolled up to him sans book. “I don't feel like reading right now.”

“Oh? What do you feel like doing?”

His eyes drifted to her lips an she almost felt bad for how easy he made it. She leaned forward and kissed him, her hands immediately threading into his hair as she pressed up against him. She felt him smirk into their kiss, his own hands sliding down her body as he pressed her back against the bookcase.

“I think it's time you started to really make it up to me.”

A wicked grin slid across his face.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The quote used in Rum's note to Belle in the flowers is an F. Scott Fitzgerald quote, or so google tells me. Either way, I can't take any credit for it. Next up: Rum continues to make it up to Belle because this week was LONG and I couldn't fit everything I wanted in one chapter...


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks to all reading, you guys make my day! I hope you guys weren't hoping for some sexytimes... Hell, I was! But my brain was not cooperating with me so here we are. But I promise there is more coming up... just not in this chapter.

Her eyes fluttered, adjusting to the sunlight spilling in around his curtains. She felt the other side of the bed, only to find it cold and bare. He was an early riser, so she wasn't too surprised to find him gone. She took a moment to look around his room—because really, she was not doing that last night—and tried not to smile.

His walls were a warm burgundy, with heavy wooden furniture filling the space. It looked old, probably antique by the look of it. He had a large four poster bed made of beautiful wood, a dresser and vanity that looked like they matched in style. They looked to be in great condition, though she suspected he might have had them restored.

She got out of bed and ran her hands across the posts, admiring the craftsmanship that went into them. She shivered as the air conditioning hit her naked body, her clothing long ago discarded in the library and the bag with her clothes still on the stairs, long forgotten.

As chilly as he kept it, she didn't want to try and find her clothes naked and made her way to his closet. She noted an intricate looking rug laid down across the polished wood floor, giving her feet a reprieve. For all of the nice things he had, it felt... impersonal. There were no pictures adorning the walls, nothing personal laying about. It didn't feel like a home.

She opened his closet, finding it as neat and meticulous as he was. She grabbed one of his button up shirts and slid it on, finding it long enough to graze her upper thigh. Content that she wouldn't be walking around his home naked, she set out in search of Rum.

She never received a tour, so she wasn't quite sure where she was going when she walked out to find him. All of the doors in the hallway were open and since she didn't hear him around, she decided to peek inside them. If he didn't want her snooping, he wouldn't have left them open.

One was a full bathroom and best words she could find to describe it was white and sterile. It was obvious he never used it as he had his own attached to his bedroom. The next room held a double bed with matching nightstand and dresser. It was even more impersonal than his room, but she hazarded a guess that the room hadn't been used in a very long time, if ever.

The next room was completely bare, save a pair of curtains drawn to keep the sunlight out. He didn't seem like the type to keep a lot of unnecessary clutter, so she wasn't too surprised that he didn't use the extra room for storage. He had the entire house to himself, after all. She frowned as she looked down the hallway, finding not one single picture or decoration on the walls.

On her way to the stairs she stopped at the last door in the hallway, finding Rum sitting at his desk typing away. She leaned against the door frame, seeing he was so immersed in his work that he didn't notice her.

His eyebrows twitched as he re-read something he had written, only for him to almost violently begin typing again. He let out an annoyed sigh in between his paused typing and for the first time since she met him, she felt sorry for him. He had a weight on his shoulders that seemed to creep up and stay there, no matter how many times she tried to help him forget.

This room, like the others, was minimalistic. There was the large oak desk semi-covered in papers and his laptop. Two chairs sat facing the desk and a couple of bookshelves were off to the side—more books of business than leisure, it seemed.

“You work too much.”

He jumped in his chair, his eyes settling on her with a smile. “Belle. Good morning. Did you sleep well?”

She nodded, slowly walking up to and around his desk so that she could sit on top of it. “Did you even sleep?”

She shivered as his eyes hungrily slid up her bare legs before he made eye contact with her. “Of course.”

She caressed his cheek, her thumb trailing across the bags under his eyes. “Liar.” He tried to hide his exhaustion with coffee, but she could see it written all over his face. She had seen him well rested before to know what he looked like when he didn't sleep.

He leaned into her hand, placing a soft kiss on her palm. “I can sleep when I'm dead.”

“Which won't be long if you work yourself the bone. There must be other people you can pawn stuff onto. You are the boss after all.”

He huffed as he settled back into his chair. “Sure, but I can trust myself to do it right.”

“So everyone who works for you is incompetent?” She said with a raised eyebrow, daring him to say otherwise.

He smirked, knowing what she was trying to do. “You're trying to get me in trouble with my staff again, aren't you?” He teased. “I'm quite particular about how I want things done, is all. If you want it done right, you do it yourself. That's how I operate.”

She nodded, knowing it was just how he was. “Think about it at least?”

He nodded. “I'll think about it.”

She slid off his desk with a smile. “Great. Now how about you take me out to breakfast?”

He held up his mug of coffee. “I've already got my breakfast.”

She bit her lip, wondering if she should test out her new found bravery. Throwing caution to the wind she slid into his lap, his hand instinctively grabbing her thigh as she did. “You said you would continue to make it up to me. And I would love it if you,” she said as she slid a hand down his chest, “took me out to breakfast.”

She felt his fingers lazily caress her thigh, his lips turning up in a smile as his eyes studied her face. “You're really going to make me beg for forgiveness, aren't you?”

She smirked. “I'm a little insulted you thought it was going to be that easy.”

He chuckled as he stared into her eyes. “You're worth it.”

Her heart fluttered wildly in her chest at his words. She felt the beginnings of a blush and before he could notice, she leaned in to press her lips against his. She loved kissing him, she loved the feeling of his hands on her body, caressing every inch. One arm held her around the waist as the other hand inched underneath her shirt to squeeze her ass. She could feel something stirring in his pants as he pushed against her, his teeth biting her upper lip and she whimpered as his fingers—

“Mr. Gold, thank you so much for letting be drop by, I can't believe I forgot— Oh!”

Belle pulled away immediately, seeing a shocked Martha Potts standing in the doorway. She went to stand, but Rum's firm grip kept her planted on his lap for obvious reasons. He was completely still and she was blushing profusely. There was no other explanation for what was going on, not that Martha would think otherwise.

It was like they had been caught by his mother.

“Martha! Hi,” she greeted with an embarrassed grin.

She cleared her throat, a smirk threatening to appear. “Good morning Belle. When Mr. Gold told me it was okay to drop by and pick up something I left behind, he hadn't mentioned you'd be here as well.”

“She was asleep,” came his throaty response.

“I see.” Her eyes shifted between them, a smile finally making an appearance on her face. “Sorry to interrupt. I found my wallet, so I'll be on my way.” She bowed and left quickly as Rum sighed.

“I completely forgot I told her she could stop by. I'm sorry to have embarrassed you like that.” His jaw was tight as he looked at his desk, a far away look in his eyes.

“Hey,” she said, pushing him to look at her. For the first time, she saw a sliver of insecurity as she stared back at him. “I'm not embarrassed or ashamed to be with you. The only reason I'm embarrassed is because we almost had sex in front of her. I'm not quite _that_ adventurous,” she tried to tease.

“You know she's going to tell everyone. She is a bit of a gossip.”

She kissed the tip of his nose as she stood. “Everyone was already thinking it and I don't care what they think anyway.”

He nodded, seemingly placated for now. “As long as you're okay with it.”

“Next time we'll have to get caught somewhere truly scandalous. Maybe the bathroom of your next party?” She winked, causing him to smirk in response.

“Miss French, I do believe you are a bad influence on me.”

She innocently shrugged. “I have no idea what you're talking about. Now I believe you promised me breakfast?”

–

“What do you mean you don't eat breakfast?” She asked as they were seated outside. “You need to eat like the rest of us common folk.”

He gave her a sarcastic eyebrow raise. “Coffee is my breakfast.”

“I've seen you eat breakfast. At the cabin,” she challenged as she opened her menu.

“Yes, well. That was a rare occasion.”

She shook her head. “It won't be with me around.”

He opened his mouth to retort, but was cut short by the waitress. They each ordered coffee and when she left he said, “If it'll make you happy, I’ll order something in addition to coffee for breakfast.”

She smiled. “It would make me very happy.” He huffed and opened his menu, but she could tell his irritation was all for show. “Maybe you wouldn't be so grumpy if you ate breakfast every once and awhile.” She smirked, watching as his shock turned to amusement.

“I'm naturally grumpy.”

“Whatever you need to tell yourself to sleep at night.”

They fell into a comfortable silence as they read the menu. The waitress came with their coffee while Belle ordered pancakes and Rum ordered eggs and bacon. She smiled at the small victory.

She looked out to the street, watching as people walked by and cars buzzed past. It was nice to people watch and being summer, she always enjoyed being out in the sun. Across the street she noticed a man with a camera pointed directly at her. She looked behind her, seeing there was no one else there, just the building.

“What is it?” He asked with a frown.

She looked at the man again. “I think someone is taking a picture of us.”

Rum turned around and when finding the perpetrator, scowled. “That's Sidney Glass, reporter for the Daily Mirror. I knew sitting out here was a bad idea.”

She half-rolled her eyes. “Why is he taking pictures of us? No offense, but you're not exactly a celebrity.”

He pulled out his phone and began typing. “Storybrooke isn't that exciting. When the days are slow, they have to fill it with something and Mr. Glass likes to report on my life. Usually in a negative fashion.”

She noticed the way he was angrily texting and craned her neck to see why. “What are you doing? And what's so negative about eating breakfast?”

“I'm texting Dove and telling him to take care of the situation.”

“Leave Ben alone for one day,” she scolded. “This man can't possibly post a bad story about you eating breakfast.”

“All it takes is for you to choke on something and it'll be my fault. That man has never written a good thing about me. He's going to figure out who you are and your life will be all over the papers.”

She frowned and stared back at the reporter. He wasn't going away any time soon, from the looks of it. “So? I'm not ashamed of who I am, nor do I have some shady past. You know what? Let's see what he has to say for himself.”

“What?” He said in confusion.

She waved to Sidney, who only stilled and stared back. She motioned for him to come over, much to Rum's displeasure.

“Belle, what are you doing?”

“I'm inviting him over, what does it look like?” Despite his protests, she continued to wave Sidney over. It took the man a minute to realize what was happening before he slowly crossed the street.

Rum glared at the man, while Sidney eyed him nervously.

“Sidney, right?” Belle asked with a smile.

The reporter looked at her and nodded.

“I'm Belle, it's nice to meet you,” she said as she stuck out her hand. He shook it and she could tell he was wildly confused by the situation.

“Last name? He asked.

She could tell Rum was about to make a comment, so she said, “I can't do all of your work for you, can I? You're a good reporter, I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually.”

He swallowed and nodded. “There's been a lot of talk about you and your relationship. Care to comment on that?”

“No,” Rum gruffly responded. “Now go away before I have you thrown out.”

She shook her head. “Excuse him, he hasn't had his breakfast yet,” she teased, earning a huff from him. “If I give you a comment, would you kindly leave us alone this morning? I'd really appreciate it.” She smiled, hoping it was endearing enough to get him to say yes.

Surprise appeared on both mens faces as Sidney pulled out his voice recorder. “It's a deal.”

She stared at the recorder and glanced at Rum before she settled into her chair. “Our relationship is between us, we're both private people. However, I think your pictures will speak for themselves that we're happy. There's not much else that matters, beyond that.”

Sidney sighed. “Anything else? People comment on the age difference, his status...”

“You've got your comment, Mr. Glass,” Rum grumbled.

“Right,” he said as he fumbled with his recorder and turned to leave.

“Have a good day Sidney!” She called after him, earning a tentative smile and wave from him as he disappeared. She noticed Rum staring at her in surprise. “What? That wasn't so bad.”

“I have never, not once, ever given statements to The Daily Mirror.”

She shrugged. “Maybe you should. It's not exciting to do stories on a person who is willing to talk to you all the time. He's only interested because you're so private.”

He chuckled. “He's interested because of you. He wants to know what kind of person can stand to be with me longer than a couple events.”

“I'm interested to see what he posts tomorrow. I can see the headline now. Storybrooke's Mr. Gold Takes Girlfriend Out For Breakfast, Has Good Time For Once In His Life.”

He smirked, earning a grin from her. “It would never be something so positive.”

She laughed. “We can work up to it.”

The rest of breakfast had been a simple affair, with Rum even enjoying himself after Sidney was long gone. When they left, she figured she was going directly home. He had been driving for a solid ten minutes when she realized he was not driving her back to her apartment or his home. “Where are we going?”

He smirked. “You'll figure it out soon enough.”

After he drove for another five minutes she turned to him, feeling the excitement thrum through her veins. “Are we going where I think we're going?”

He casually shrugged, but she could see he was fighting a smile. “That depends on where you think we're going.”

She was too excited to let his non-answer ruin her mood. A few minutes later he pulled into the parking lot of her favorite store, _Nepenthe,_ and she was grinning from ear to ear. “I should be careful what I tell you, because apparently you actually listen.”

“Of course I do,” he said as they got out of the car.

She had told him in passing that this was her favorite store ever and she expected he wasn't even paying attention because she had been rambling like usual. She tempered her excitement as they walked up to the door and she went in first, inhaling the scent of books, old and new; the pages and the ink, coming together to create her favorite scent.

“You brought a friend today,” a light voice came from behind the counter.

“Anna!” She said in surprise. “Actually, he brought me. I feel like I haven't seen you in so long.” She wandered up to the counter and she noticed Anna glancing between her and Rum.

“It has been awhile. Dad wasn't feeling well today, so he asked me to take over.”

“I hope he gets better soon. Tell him I said hello, okay?” Anna's father was a kind older man who was just as friendly as his younger daughter. Belle had always enjoyed talking to him about books.

“Of course. So are you going to introduce me to your mystery man?”

She blushed slightly and turned to Rum who walked up with a short smile. “Mr. Gold,” he stuck out his hand in greeting. Anna eagerly shook it, intrigue written all over her face.

“He's my boyfriend,” Belle supplied with a knowing grin, causing Anna to smirk.

“Good on you,” she said with a wink, making Belle blush further. “What brings you in?”

She shrugged, but Rum beat her to it. “I have some things to make up for, so I brought her by. Buy anything you want, Belle. It's on me.”

Her head snapped in his direction. “What?”

His signature smirk appeared. “I'm a little insulted you thought I was done apologizing.”

He was throwing her own words back at her and there was no containing the smile on her face as she stared at him. From the light in his eyes she could tell he was enjoying himself. She no doubt looked completely shocked and now there was no containing her happiness. He had made up for his actions long ago, but she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

She turned to Anna, trying to maintain the squeal of excitement. “I might be awhile.”

“The man knows the way to your heart, I'll give him that. Better keep him, that's hard to find these days.”

She couldn't argue that fact. As she looked between Anna and Rum, she grinned. Anna was one of the kindest people she knew. “Anna, are you seeing someone?”

She laughed. “I guess that depends on who's asking.”

“I know a guy who would treat you like a princess if you gave him a chance. I think you would hit it off.”

“What's the catch?” She said with a raised eyebrow.

“There isn't one,” she shrugged, earning an unsure look from her. “He's a little shy,” she admitted. Rum snorted, earning a glare from her. “Okay, so he has trouble talking around pretty women and gets really nervous around them. But I can't see that being a problem for you.”

She grinned. “If anything I'll probably scare him away with my constant rambling. Okay, sure. I haven't had a decent date in awhile. He honestly can't be worse than Hans.”

Belle snorted. “Oh he's nothing like him, trust me.” Rum arched an eyebrow at her and she smiled in response. “I'll let you know once I talk to him.”

Without another word she turned around and let herself loose in the book store.

–

In the end she only bought a couple of bags worth of books, some she had been eying for awhile due to their price. Despite the amount of time she spent there, he didn't rush her or complain once. He looked through the stacks of books himself, watching her as she debated between one book or another before convincing her to get both.

“You'd like Peter, Anna's dad. He's very knowledgeable about all of the books in his shop and I think loves them even more than I do,” she joked as they set the bags of her books down onto her kitchen table.

“Now that I would like to see.”

Her thoughts drifted to Ben. “Do you think Ben and Anna would make a good match?” He knew Ben better than she did, so she hoped he could provide his opinion, hardly knowing Anna.

He smirked. “She's quite the talker, that one.”

“Yeah, but she's really sweet,” Belle defended.

“I think Dove might not speak for the entirety of their date and somehow I don't think it'll be a problem,” he teased.

She smiled. “I can't wait to tell him about it!”

“Please do it while I'm there, I'd like to see his face when he realizes you weren't kidding.”

She laughed and let out a content sigh. “I don't think I can thank you enough. I really wasn't expecting all of this.”

“I hope I never have to make it up to you again.”

She leaned up, placing a soft, quick kiss on his lips. “Yeah, it'll start getting expensive for you if you keep it up,” she teased.

A soft, subtle chuckle escaped him. “You are one expensive date,” he joked back. He checked his watch, a frown crossing his features.

She frowned in return. “I know you're busy and you must have a lot of work to get to, so...”

He looked guilty at having been caught and nodded. “You're right, I need to finish some things. However, we never got to finalizing the contract last night. I brought it with me... if it's still what you want.”

“Yes, definitely.”

He pulled the folded up contract from his suit jacket, along with a pen. “As you can see here, this is where the clause was previously and now it has been taken out.”

She looked through it, finding that the clause no longer existed and quickly signed. “Now I can transfer the money back?”

He signed it after her, folding it back up to settle in his jacket pocket once again. “Yes. I'll make a copy for you and I'll bring it when I see you Friday. I'll also have the new amendment ready as well. Don't forget, next Saturday is the opening of that new theater the town has been eagerly waiting for.”

“Of course. I'm looking forward to it.”

He gave her a parting kiss before he left her alone in her apartment.

She unpacked her books and set them on her coffee table so she could easily pick them up when she was walking around.

She quietly fixed herself lunch, reading one of her new books as she ate. It was a good book and she had wanted to read it for awhile, but it was too quiet and she felt too alone to continue. Once her lunch was gone she called Ruby.

“Hey! Did he get the cupcakes?”

She smiled at the sound of her friends voice. “He did. I'm not sure how he got your number, so sorry about that.”

“I was confused at first, but he explained everything. You left out a lot about how much of a dick he was and the fact that you hulked out on his desk, by the way. Why would you not tell me that?” She didn't sound hurt, only annoyed that she had almost missed out on juicy gossip.

It only made her feel more at home. “I was embarrassed. That's not like me and I didn't want to make a big deal out of it.”

“Ah,” she said in a knowing tone. “You like him.”

She wanted to deny it. She really wished she could even convincingly lie, but it was useless. Her heart beat faster just thinking about him. “I know,” she admitted, surprised she let the words out. “Before you say anything, I know I shouldn't and it's only going to hurt me in the end. I'm trying to be very you about this, but it's hard. He makes it so hard.”

There was a pause and she wondered if Ruby was thinking about how to persuade her to leave him. “He obviously cares about you, that much was clear when he called me. If he did everything he planned, I don't think I could blame you for having feelings for him.”

She never thought Ruby, of all people, would have agreed with her. “He'll never like me _like that_ ,” she said with a frown. “It's all business to him, that's how he works. I honestly wish I didn't like him at all. This is going to be another situation all over again.”

Ruby sighed. “I wish I could tell you it wasn't and that he loves you and you'll live happily ever after, but I can't. He's a difficult man, that much has been made clear, but he's not heartless when it comes to you. So you have a chance.”

She chewed her lip in thought. “Do I want to take that chance?”

“I don't know. I still think he's an asshole who's really good at sucking up. What's to say he won't lash out at you again? I think you should be careful because that's how I handle things, but that's not the Belle way.”

She almost snorted. The Belle way was loving fully without any regard for herself. Always being there for someone who wasn't going to appreciate it. “I'm crazy for liking him.”

“Yeah you are,” Ruby teased. “But I can see why you'd like him. He's older, mature, very smart and well dressed. He's like a mystery waiting to be figured out. You've never been one to turn down a good mystery.”

“Which begs the question, what would he ever see in me?” He was, after all, one of Storybrooke's most eligible bachelors until she came along.

“I thought the same thing with Archie, at first. You're pretty and smart. You're funny and sweet and nobody can help but like you, you've always had that kind of effect on people. Honestly, as someone with his reputation he'd be lucky to have you for real. I've never known someone so fiercely loyal. Even to a fault.”

She nodded, knowing Ruby was right. It still hurt to think that she could possess all those qualities and by the time the contract was up, he could easily wipe his hands of her. She needed a new topic. “How's the first week with Archie?”

“Great so far. There was some benefit last night for doctors and nurses and stuff that we went to. I met this really hot nurse, her name's Dorothy. Archie noticed that we hit it off really well and it was obvious that she was definitely into women, but I wasn't going to hurt Archie like that. Then he told me that if I wanted to bring a girl into the bedroom, he'd be okay with it.”

“Seriously?” She couldn't imagine the mild mannered psychiatrist being so sexually open. He blushed any time they mentioned sex!

“I know! I was shocked too. Apparently it's always been a fantasy of his and he found Dorothy as hot as I did, so I explained our situation and she was totally down for it. She's coming over tonight. Archie said depending on how it goes and how everyone feels about it, we might make it a regular thing.”

“Isn't that weird? I thought you liked Archie. You know, in a in love kind of way. And he's clearly into you. Won't this hurt some feelings?” She wasn't sure that even if she was attracted to women she could share Rum and they weren't even really together.

“No. We're both pretty secure in our feelings for each other. I told you it's always the quiet ones. I'm so stoked for tonight!”

She smiled. “I'm happy for you. It sounds like New York is treating you well.”

“Oh yes, it was like I was meant to be here. Anything new with the girls?”

“Well, Mary Margaret is pregnant.”

“What!”

She held the phone away from her ear. “Don't say anything to her, I don't think I was supposed to tell you. She's telling her lover tonight.”

“Shit. I hope she's okay. I can't see that ending well for her.”

“Yeah,” she winced. “I tried to comfort her. Hopefully it worked.”

“I'm sure it did, you're always good with that kind of stuff. Look, I have to go, but I definitely want to hear how that ends, so let me know.”

“Of course. Talk to you later. Love you.”

“Love you too. Bye!”

She stared at her phone and then her books before she looked around her bare apartment. Mary Margaret was going to be with David, no matter how sad it was going to end up. Ruby was going to most likely be having the time of her life. She didn't know what Emma was doing, but she was probably going to be with Regina.

She was going to be alone with her books, in an empty apartment. She knew that Rum would be too busy to call or text after spending so much time together. Plus, she didn't want him figuring out she had feelings for him. She wasn't sure she ever wanted him to know.

 


	20. Chapter 20

Belle only had to wait until lunch on Sunday to hear about how Ruby's night had went. It was one of the best nights of her life, apparently, and they were most definitely doing it again. No hurt feelings, fun was had by everyone. She hadn't been surprised by that news, it was Ruby after all. Things tended to work out for her one way or another.

She was surprised that as she was making herself lunch, she got a call from Emma. Emma was usually the texting type—not much for personal phone calls unless it was important.

“Hey Em. Whats up?”

“I opened the Daily Mirror this morning and there was a picture of you in it, for starters.”

Even though it was just yesterday, she had forgotten all about it. “Was it a good picture?”

“It looks like you're sitting at some restaurant with Gold. You can kind of see him, but you're right there. At least they picked one of you smiling.”

She chewed her lip. “What's the article say?”

“The title is 'Dark Castle CEO Dating College Student.' Do you want me to continue?”

She cringed. “Why'd he have to phrase it like _that_?”

“Because they're trying to sell papers. At least the article itself isn't too bad. He mentions your name and that you're going to school in the fall. He does say you're a little odd, but otherwise too nice to be with Gold, who is still a grumpy old man. Then he puts in the statement you gave and snarkily ends on how Gold is probably going to ruin your life.”

“It's not the first time someone has called me odd,” she mused. “I guess he wasn't kidding, he told me this reporter hates him.”

“It's not the worst article I've seen about him. I just thought you should know your name is out there now. And your face.”

“It was only a matter of time.” She knew this could happen the minute she signed that contract. “I don't see why people care. What does it matter to them?”

Emma snorted. “People are nosy and no one is more elusive than Gold. He just showed up one day, built part of his massive company here, created a ton of jobs and the only things anyone knows about him aren't good. Pick any person in Storybrooke and either they or someone they know works for Dark Castle.”

“When you put it like that...”

“I just wanted you to know, is all. I've got to get back to work, let me know if anything gets out of hand. I can always ask Regina to help, you know she has an interest in the paper.”

“Thanks Em. I appreciate it. See you later.”

“See ya,” she said as she ended the call.

Belle quickly went online to read the article, which wasn't hard to find. It was a nice picture of her, Emma hadn't lied about that. The article didn't say anything bad about her other than she was odd, but he did take a few jabs at Rum.

She eyed the clock. He definitely had seen the article by now. Why hadn't he said anything? She stared at her phone, willing it to ring. It was lunch time, which meant he was either busy at his desk or busy in a meeting. Still, she wanted to make sure he wasn't stewing over a stupid article.

She quickly dialed his number and to her surprise, he answered immediately. “Just the person I wanted to talk to.”

He didn't sound angry. If anything he sounded... happy. “Oh really? What about?”

“I trust you've seen the Daily Mirror today.”

She nodded, then remembered he couldn't see her. “Yes. I read the article.”

“And? Are you... okay with it?”

“I think I should be asking you that question,” she teased. “He really doesn't like you.”

“The feeling is mutual,” he said with a chuckle. “Yet it was probably the nicest article he's ever written about me.”

She frowned. “Seriously?”

“Yes.”

“Well I don't mean to keep you long, I just wanted to make sure you weren't... upset.”

The line was quiet, so much so that she thought he had hung up on her until he replied, “As long as you're okay with it, I'm okay with it.”

“I'm fine,” she shrugged.

“Great. Now I must get back to this very exciting paperwork or it will never get done.”

She smiled at his jovial tone. “Don't work too hard.”

“Of course not,” he joked before ending the call.

There was no stopping the smile that spread across her face.

–

It wasn't until Monday night that Belle heard from Mary Margaret. When she saw that she was calling, she immediately answered, preparing for the worst. “Hey Mags.”

“Belle! I'm so glad you answered. I have the most wonderful news.”

She had expected tears and lots of crying, but Mary Margaret sounded happier than ever. “Really? What happened?”

“I told you he was my true love. When I told him about the baby he cried! He was so happy. He said he was going to leave his wife and—and he did! He told her everything yesterday and guess what? Apparently she's been cheating on him too with some gym owner! He's moving in with me and they're going to get a divorce. Isn't that wonderful?”

“That's great. I'm glad it all worked out.”

“Thanks, Belle! Oh, I have to go. David's just pulled up with some of his stuff. I'll tell you more later. Bye!”

That was definitely not how she expected that to go, but Mary Margaret did deserve to be happy. She was glad that she had found her true love and they could be together. It almost gave her hope.

By Wednesday she had the suspicion that she was getting sick. Rum had texted her here and there, more than he had before, but it was sporadic at best.

She was not at all surprised that when she woke up Thursday she felt like she had been hit by a bus. Her throat was sore, her head was throbbing and she couldn't breathe through her nose. She slowly ate a packet of oatmeal before she slid back into her bed to sleep more.

She woke up to the sound of her phone vibrating on her nightstand. It stopped and then started again. She grabbed it, seeing someone was calling her. She answered, “'lo?”

“Is everything all right? I've been trying to get a hold of you.”

She frowned. Why was Rum calling? “ I wuz 'sleep. I've got a cold. Iz everythin' 'kay?”

“Yes I... I was worried when you didn't respond. I thought something had happened to you.”

She smiled as she snuggled into her pillow. “Oh.”

“I'll let you get back to sleep. Sorry for waking you.”

“Mm s'fine. G'night.” She ended the call and curled back into her blankets, sleep hitting her once again.

The next time she woke up it was because she had to use the bathroom. She noticed the sun was setting which meant she had spent nearly all day asleep. She wanted to feel slightly better, but she felt just as bad as she had this morning. Her stomach protested, wanting food and not wanting food at the same time.

Despite sleeping all day, she still didn't have the energy to make herself food. She grabbed the bag of bread, willing herself to make a piece of toast and eat it all before she went back to bed. By the time she untwisted the twist tie, her buzzer rang. She winced at the loudness of it and slowly walked to her speaker. “Hello?”

“Belle it's me. It's Rum. Please let me up.”

She looked like a mess, but she couldn't bring herself to care as she buzzed him in. She opened the door, surprised when he walked in with bags full of items.

“I wasn't sure if you had anything and you sounded horrible so I knew you weren't going anywhere. I wasn't sure what you liked so I got a few different kinds of medicine here, cough drops, a thermometer to make sure you're not running a fever. Here's some tissues with lotion, I wasn't sure if you had enough. I bought some saltines in case you had an upset stomach, some soft foods here for a sore throat. This I can't really take credit for, but I asked Mrs. Potts to make her delicious chicken noodle soup and she of course was more than happy to help.”

He pulled out a large container of soup and added it to the rest of the contents overwhelming her kitchen table. “You got all of this for me?”

He turned to her with furrowed brows. “Of course. Who else is going to take care of you? Have you eaten at all today?”

“I had some oatmeal this morning.”

He scoffed, taking the large container of soup into the kitchen as he searched her cupboards for bowls until he found one. She watched as he poured some into a bowl and began to heat it in the microwave. “You should sit down, you look weak on your feet.”

She wasn't sure if she was still asleep and dreaming all of this, so she sat down at the table. He definitely went overboard with his purchases, but it was obvious he made the trip himself. He rarely pulled himself away from work, but he did so to buy her medicine and food. Her heart fluttered at the thought.

He set the steaming bowl of soup in front of her. “Start with this and maybe these,” he said as he opened the box of saltines and set a package in front of her. “I'm putting the soup in the fridge.” She blew on her spoonful, watching as he tried to put away the food items he bought.

The soup was delicious and heaven sent. She never would have had the will to make herself something so useful. “Thank you for the soup. It's very good.”

“I'll let Mrs. Potts know.”

When she finished her soup he filed it away in the dishwasher and she eyed the many medications on the table. She picked the one that allegedly helped with all of her symptoms and was going to help her sleep—not that she'd been having any trouble with that.

“I hope I feel good enough to go with you Saturday.”

“Absolutely not. You will be staying here, getting better.”

His tone was firm with no room for arguing. She stood, shuffling to her couch as she sat down. “But the contract...”

He sat next to her, frowning as he studied her face. “You need rest. I can go alone. I need you better for next weekend, it's far more important.”

She couldn't recall what next weekend was, everything was a fuzzy mess in her head. “Kay.” He turned on the television, realizing she only had the basic channels and settled on the news. “What are you doing? Aren't you worried I'll get you sick?”

His cocky grin appeared. “I never get sick. I figured I'd keep you company until you fell asleep.”

He was so nonchalant about it, she figured she had to be dreaming. It was an odd dream to have, but it was nice having someone fret over her when she felt crappy. Since it was all in her head she snuggled against him, his arm wrapping around her to keep her close. She wished she could smell him, he always smelled great. Her eyes drifted as they continued to watch the TV until she felt the medicine kick in and sleep claimed her again.

When she woke up she found the sun shining through the blinds of her apartment and she was laying on the couch with blankets draped over her. She lifted herself up, feeling the aching in her head as she did. She didn't feel any worse, but she couldn't say she felt better either. There was a note on the coffee table, so she grabbed it.

_Belle,_

_I'm sorry I couldn't carry you back to your bed, so I tried to make you as comfortable as possible on the couch. Please let me know if you need anything. I'll be coming by again tomorrow to check on you._

_Yours,_

_Rum_

Even his handwriting was lovely and elegant. Which also meant that he had been there and it wasn't a dream. How was she supposed to not have feelings for him when he did things like this? He was making it impossible for her.

It also made her wonder how his ex-wife could have left him if he was so... caring. Sure he had a temper, but he knew it and he owned up to his mistakes. She was sure whenever she met the woman she would hate her. He was a good person deep inside, but somewhere along the way he had been twisted into the man everyone else saw.

Jefferson knew he was a good man. Ben had seen it. Martha probably had a mothers intuition about him. Other than his outburst in his office, he had been nothing but a gentleman and a doting boyfriend. Everyone had bad days, she wasn't immune to them. He had tough armor to get through, but she could do it, if she dared.

The longer she stared at the note, the more she knew she liked him. She was trying to fight it, but she wasn't strong enough to.

She didn't want to.

Even if it was because of a contract, the way he treated her had been how she wished Gaston had treated her when they were together. She didn't think guys like him existed, but here he was, checking up on her and buying her medicine. It felt nice being cared about that she didn't want to fight it. She wanted to enjoy it while it lasted, feeling every ounce of happiness she deserved. She wasn't going to assume his niceness meant he had feelings for her. He was nice to Jefferson and Grace and Ben and Martha, too. She was honored to be considered part of his small group of people he cared about.

She only hoped that he would let her down easily after their year was over.

–

She started feeling infinitely better by Sunday and true to his word, Rum stopped by every day to check on her.

“You sound a lot better today,” he said with a smile.

“I feel better,” she admitted. “How did last night go? I wish I could have come.”

“It was fine. The theater looks lovely and the mayor is very pleased with herself, of course.”

It suddenly made sense why Emma texted her this morning asking if everything was all right. Regina no doubt told her she was missing from Rum's side. “Nothing interesting happened?”

He snorted. “You've been with me to these things. Does anything ever happen?”

She shrugged. “You never know. Scandals happen every day.”

He nodded in agreement. “I suppose so. There were a few people there who were disappointed you couldn't make it. Apparently word of my beautiful girlfriend has spread and they wanted to see for themselves.”

His tone had been teasing, but it still made her blush. “That's a lot to live up to.”

He chuckled. “I showed them pictures, of course. I wasn't going to miss out on being envied.”

She initially felt vindicated, her idea of taking a picture had been useful, but then she realized... “We only took the one on your yacht.”

His eyebrows shot up and she noticed the brief moment of panic flash in his eyes before his face turned passive. “Right, I misspoke.”

She grinned. “Do you have more pictures of us?”

“No,” he immediately answered.

“You do! After you gave me so much shit for the one on your boat. You know you have to show me.” She stared at him with wide eyes until he sighed and pulled out his phone.

“It's nothing, really.”

She picked up his phone, the picture pulled up was the one of them on his yacht. She swiped, finding a picture of her sitting on the deck of his lake house, overlooking the lake. Her back was to the camera and all you could see was her hair and her legs stretched out before her, but it was clearly her. She swiped again, finding another picture of her. This one was taken at his lake house when they took a short walk around. Her back was to him again, but her head was turned, looking over her shoulder with a smile. She had thought he was checking his email and teased him about it. The next one was simple. She was curled up on his couch with a book, reading so intently she had no idea he took a picture.

There were no more pictures so she slid his phone back to him. He looked nervous. She should have been a little creeped out he was taking pictures of her, but none of them were weird. She had been fully clothed in the ones she didn't know about. “Why didn't you just ask me? You know I would've been okay with it.”

His shoulders sagged with relief. “I was afraid you'd ask why.”

“Well now I am,” she grinned.

He attempted a smile. “They remind me what it's like to be...” He paused, clearly thinking of a word that fit. “Happy.”

She tried not to feel too special, but when he said it like that she knew it was definitely getting to her head. “There's nothing wrong with that. Next time just ask me and maybe we can even get you in the picture too.”

“That'll just ruin it,” he said with a smirk.

“Not to me.” He shifted in his seat, clearly disagreeing with her. She'd let him go for now. “So what is this super important event that I have to attend with you on Saturday?”

“And Sunday.” She really should have looked at his schedule. “We're going to fly out on Friday to New York City. I'm one of a few people that were asked to be guest speakers at this business conference. People fly in from all over every year to attend. Unfortunately with these things comes the socializing after and that's where I'll need you. You're more than welcome to attend the conference, but it's hours long and a tad boring if you don't care about the subject matter. I figured you wouldn't mind hanging out with Ruby during the day and then hanging out it with me at night.”

She smiled. “That sounds wonderful. I know it hasn't been long, but I really miss her. I've also never been to New York City, so it'll be like another vacation.”

He smirked. “I'm glad you're looking forward to it. Last year it was in Seattle and if I'm honest that would have been more exciting.”

“That does sound nice. You can take me to Seattle any time.”

She couldn't wait to tell Ruby that she was going to be visiting her this weekend. Nothing was going to stop her, not even a lingering cold.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all reading and leaving comments! You guys are the best. Side note: Next weekends update might be late. I'm currently fostering 2 puppies (one who is sitting on my arm as I type and I was only supposed to have the 1, but I'm a sucker when it comes to animals so here I am) and things are crazy. Anyway, please read & enjoy!

Her cold had all but disappeared, except for the lingering congestion in the morning by the time they landed in New York City. They were staying in a very nice hotel, the same one that was hosting the conference. Rum of course had booked a lavish suite that had more than enough room for the two of them and at least two or three more people. They had a lovely view of the city which Rum said there was no point in paying as much as he did for a room if there was no view.

To her surprise he had taken her out to dinner and invited Archie and Ruby to join. She was initially worried that something would go wrong, but the wine flowed and the conversation continued. Archie's presence seemed have a soothing effect on her friend, which was nice to see. Rum himself had been friendly, even making everyone laugh with one of his sarcastic remarks.

When they parted ways Ruby promised to meet her early but not _too_ early in the morning. With both her and Rum feeling tipsy, they managed to undress before falling into bed and falling asleep after a long day.

Rum had long since gone before she got out of bed and dressed. She met Ruby for breakfast before she took her around the city, trying to hit as many tourist attractions as they could. It was hotter and smellier than she anticipated, but being surrounded by the hustle and bustle reminded her of Boston.

By the time she returned to her hotel room she needed to shower again to get ready for a night of being surrounded by businessmen. Her legs were tired from all of their walking, but she wouldn't have trouble getting through the night, even in her heels. She wore a tight fitting black gown that fell to the floor, giving the illusion that she was taller than she was. It also scooped in the front to showcase the cleavage that she didn't usually possess, but apparently Ariel was a genius when it came to enhancing ones body into a dress.

Rum had told her to make her make up somewhat dramatic, so she did, noticing her eyes popped amid the darkness of her hair and dress. She was putting the finishing touches on her makeup when Rum walked into their room.

“How did your speech go?”

He shrugged. “Everyone clapped. They asked questions, they want to know all of my secrets. So I suppose that means it went well.”

When she walked out of the bathroom, she noticed him staring outside. “Ready?”

He turned to her, his eyes growing darker at the sight of her. “Are you sure you wouldn't rather stay here?”

She shook her head. “You told me you had to go socialize even if I needed to drag you down myself. It's only a few hours and then we'll be back up here and you can have your way with me.”

He smirked as he walked towards her. “I'll hold you to that.”

She accompanied him to the bar which was now full of men in suits, some with women on their arms. He stopped and socialized, talking about business and profits and losses and other things Belle didn't particularly care about. She had opportunities to talk to some of the wives or girlfriends, finding some of them hard to talk to. She didn't really care about Janet from that company who slept with Lisa's husband who was now here with, apparently, an escort.

Then there was one of the older women who had asked her without actually saying the words, how much Rum was paying her and which escort service she was from. She had been offended and almost happy Rum hadn't been around to hear that because he would have made a scene. From the looks she got, some of the men clearly thought she was up for sale and wondered where they might be able to buy her from.

It sent shivers down her spine and left a bad taste in her mouth. She was relieved when she found Rum, who happened to be by the bar, waiting on a drink. “These people are horrible,” she whispered.

He grinned. “You have no idea.” He picked up the scotch that was placed in front of him and took a sip. “This is the only way to survive.”

“Mr. Gold, this is my friend I was telling you about.” The voice sounded familiar, but she shook it off as Rum went to shake the man's hand and she ordered a drink.

“Mr. Gold, it is such an honor to meet you,” the friend said.

She stilled. She knew that voice.

“And you are?”

“Gaston Monroe. I own my own business in Boston and I'm looking to expand. Your talk today on expanding your business model was amazing.”

Of all the meetings and all the people, he had to pick this one. She had a choice. She could attempt to run off or she could stay and face him. She didn't think she would ever see him again so she never prepared for this moment, but with Rum by her side... she could do it.

She turned around, Gaston's eyes finding her instantly, his jaw dropping in surprise. “Belle? What are you doing here?” He smiled as he looked between them, trying to see if they knew each other.

“It's nice to see you too, Gaston,” she responded with a fake smile.

“Oh you two know each other?” Rum asked as he gestured between them as if he didn't already know. He had one of the best poker faces she had ever seen.

“We go way back, don't we Belles?” Gaston said with a grin. She knew that tactic; she had been on his arm enough times to know when he was trying to use his ties to someone to get an advantage. In his mind, she was the sweet girl who would do anything for him.

“Is that so?” Rum arched a brow at her.

“Yeah, we used to date when I lived in Boston,” she said as if she were reminding him.

“We were together a long time.” He stood taller and his tone sounded like he was... bragging? “We have such a history. Good memories. I don't know if you know Belle, but she's a sweetheart.” She was almost offended that he was trying to use her good nature to earn himself points with Rum, knowing she wouldn't bash him to a stranger, or in public. As far as he knew she was there for any number of reasons.

Rum's lips twitched—she couldn't tell if it was in amusement or in anger. “She is a lovely woman.” He set down his scotch and wrapped an arm around her waist.

Gaston's eyes flickered between them. “You're dating Belle?”

Now she was definitely offended by the tone of his voice. He was surprised and it wasn't because Rum had a girlfriend, but because that girlfriend was her. “Is that so hard to believe?”

“Of course not,” he covered with a nervous laugh. “I just didn't think you liked this life, is all.”

“Maybe she didn't like this life _with you_ ,” Rum offhandedly supplied.

Gaston's smile faltered. “Perhaps, but I remember countless times where she would get shy and have to cling to me. She couldn't wait to get home.” He was grinning from ear to ear, thinking he was talking to one of his usual buddies about how women were an accessory and not a person.

“Is that so.” She felt Rum's arm tense around her, his tone even more so.

“Oh yeah. You'll get used to it, you can push her away and she'll get the hint. She's very smart, as I'm sure you know.” He was bragging when he had no right to do so and she felt a rush of adrenaline at his words.

“ _She_ is standing _right here_ ,” she reminded him.

“I'm only telling Mr. Gold what to expect. You know how it is, Belle. He's a guy, he gets it. Women,” he joked with an eye roll to Rum.

“I think I remember Belle mentioning you now,” he said with a nod.

“Of course she did.” She wanted to wipe the smirk off his face. She was going to say something in return, but Rum beat her to it.

“You're the one that cheated on her with your accountant. Or am I remembering that incorrectly?” He turned to her for confirmation.

He was a master at this game and she had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself from grinning. She noticed Gaston's face pale at his words.

“I don't think those were my exact words to you.” Her tone was near teasing and scolding.

“Belle, I told you I never touched her,” he said, offended that his word hadn't been taken for truth.

Rum scoffed. “Don't insult her intelligence or my own,” he warned with a glare. “I'm only calling it as I see it. Doesn't matter now. I should be thanking you. She is the best thing that has happened to me and I have no intention of letting her go.” He stared down at her, the corner of his lips pulling up in a knowing smirk. She loved the mischief in his eyes and the way his hand suggestively drifted across her hip.

She couldn't help but smile as she looked at him. “You know, I think Gaston breaking up with me was the best thing that happened to me. I didn't realize how wrong we were for each other until I met you.” Her heart clenched at the truth of her own words, knowing he would never know the impact he had on her.

Gaston snorted, disbelief flashing in his eyes.

“I don't think he believes you,” Rum murmured into her ear. To anyone else it was meant for her ears only, but she knew he meant for Gaston to hear it too. “Should I tell him about the vacation to the cabin? Or that time in the library...”

Memories flashed of him between her legs, his lips everywhere on her skin... Her cheeks warmed as she shyly glanced away. “You need to behave yourself.” She didn't believe her own words as he grinned, his eyes sparkling with ideas.

“You never said I had to behave.”

She looked into his eyes, finding herself smiling as he arched a challenging eyebrow. “You are insatiable, you know that?”

He leaned into her ear, his back to Gaston as he whispered, “Should we give him a show? Maybe I could teach him a thing or two while we're at it?”

She knew he was kidding, but she couldn't help the laugh that escaped her when he pulled away and she playfully swatted him while shaking her head.

She turned to Gaston, who at this point was staring at her in disbelief. She eyed Rum and couldn't help but smile. Why was she wasting time talking to Gaston when she could be having more fun with Rum?

“You'll have to excuse us. I've made some important promises and I have every intention of following through. Tell Odette I said hi, okay?”

She tugged on Rum's arm, effectively pulling him away from the bar and towards the elevators. Rum snickered. “That was brilliant.”

They walked into the elevator, still arm in arm as she looked up at him. “I never thought I'd see him again.”

“I think the feeling was mutual. I can't believe you dated that idiot. You deserve far better than that oaf of a man. I wanted to crack his head open with my cane for the way he talked about you.”

She tried not to smile at the image, but it was funny to imagine Rum hitting the significantly larger Gaston until he cowered in fear. “Thank you for refraining, even if he deserved it.”

He huffed. “I hate men like him and yet I am surrounded by them. I'll not stand for it again.”

His posture was rigid as they exited the elevator and walked down the hall. “I guess now isn't the time tell you about how one of the women all but asked me which escort agency I was from and how much I bill by the hour.” She meant it to be teasing, but he stopped and turned to her with a raging fire in his eyes.

“Who was it.”

Apparently he had been absolutely serious about hitting Gaston. “I don't even remember. It's fine, she was just jealous anyway.”

“She deserves to be humiliated for even thinking—“

She placed a finger on his lips, effectively stopping him. “I appreciate your need to defend my honor, but I'm fine. Let them think what they want, they're all miserable anyway. Besides, it was all worth it to see the look on Gaston's face when I dragged you away.”

His shoulders relaxed, a small smile creeping onto his lips. “I did enjoy that,” he admitted as they continued their walk down the hall.

Once they finally made it into their room she turned to him. “Thank you for being on my side tonight. I don't think I could have done it without you.”

His thumb grazed her cheek. “Yes you could have. You're braver than you think.”

She stared into his eyes, finding the softness they held whenever he looked at her. She could feel the words on the tip of her tongue. _I like you_. She felt it in her heart, she felt it as he caressed her cheek. _I like you_. She stared at him, taking in the lines of his face, the smile on his lips and she couldn't bring herself to say it. She was not brave enough to say it out loud, the words getting stuck in her throat.

Instead she said, “So what do you plan to do with me tonight?” and she watched his smirk grow and his eyes grow dark with lust.

“I thought you'd never ask.”

 


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone for reading and your comments! I hope you keep enjoying this!

As soon as Ruby saw her she whistled. “Someone got laid last night.”

Belle scowled. “Honestly, Ruby. Keep it down, we're in public,” she hissed as she looked to everyone passing by on the sidewalk.

Her friend snorted. “Don't be ashamed, B. Besides, this is New York City. No one gives a shit, it's all part of its charm.” She hooked their arms together as Ruby pulled them down the street.

“I don't even know how you can tell.”

“Please, I've got a gift for these things. Besides, the chances of you sharing a room and not doing it are pretty low, so the odds are in my favor.”

She chewed her lip as they hustled to their breakfast cafe of the morning. She was bursting with the events of last night. She had to tell Ruby. “I saw Gaston last night. He was at the bar.”

Ruby stopped mid-stride, causing others to curse behind her as she flicked them off. “What? What happened? What did he say? What did you say? Actually more importantly, what did Gold say?”

She looked around and pulled Ruby to continue walking. “At first he didn't know that we were together. He apparently thinks of Rum as some kind of business genius, so he tried to use me to vouch for him as some kind of great person.”

Ruby snorted. “Please tell me you didn't.”

“No, he barely let me get a word in. He was, well... himself. When it became too much for Rum, Rum asked if he was the one who cheated on me. And he had the audacity to say they never did anything!”

“That son of a bitch,” she growled. “I hope Gold smacked him around a bit.”

“Now you condone it?”

She shrugged. “It's for a good cause if you ask me.”

She rolled her eyes. “No, he didn't. He wanted to, but he didn't. Instead he reminded me how much fun we have by ourselves. So I told Gaston to say hi to Odette for me and I pulled Rum away to.. well, you can take a guess.”

A loud, throaty laugh escaped Ruby. “You're savage. I haven't seen that side of you in a long time. That... is the greatest thing I've heard. I'm so proud of you.” Ruby squeezed her arm tightly as they walked into the cafe and ordered their breakfast and sat down.

She felt proud of herself for standing up to the man that had held her down for years, even if she didn't realize it until recently. She stood up to him and showed him he meant nothing to her, just a passing thought of her past. She had moved on... to another man.

“What am I going to do, Ruby?”

Ruby's eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean? I don't think you need to do anything more about it. I think he got the idea.”

“No...About Rum. I like him. I almost told him last night, but I couldn't do it. We have so much time left and I can't make it weird between us. I can't afford to have him cut off the contract, not until I graduate.”

Ruby chewed on her danish, her nose scrunching in thought. “Would he cut the contract? It seems to be working out for him.”

She sighed as she picked at her muffin. “He doesn't do feelings. He doesn't trust anyone and he definitely wouldn't trust me to actually have feelings for him. When you look at it from his point of view, it does seem rather convenient for me to suddenly have feelings for him.”

“He is a cautious man,” she agreed. “He was nice at dinner the other night.”

She fought an eye roll. “Yeah, because he doesn't want any of my friends against him so that you can't talk me out of this deal. When Archie was over I could tell you two had feelings for each other. Did you get any vibe at all from him?”

Ruby frowned. “He's a hard man to read. He's very precise about how he presents himself, especially in front of Archie and I. I didn't notice him making moon eyes at you or anything, if that's what you mean. It all seemed very... proper. Which isn't a bad thing.”

“Did Archie have any thoughts?” She trusted Archie's opinion too, he was after all trained to notice things.

“He's still skeptical of the man, not that I blame him. He didn't seem to think Gold was in love with you by any means. I believe the word he used was respectful.”

It was useless, believing he could feel anything for her. Jefferson was only trying to push them together and he probably knew she was gullible enough to believe it. She didn't blame him, Rum did deserve love in his life, but he was only telling her what she wanted to hear.

“Sorry I couldn't tell you what you wanted.” Ruby gave her a half smile. “Believe me, nobody wants you to find someone who loves you like you deserve more than I do.”

She shrugged. “It's good to hear, it helps keep me grounded. I'm trying my best not to get my hopes up.”

“Why do you like him?” Ruby asked offhandedly. “I mean, sure he's loaded, but you've never cared about that. He's got a history of violence, a history of being an asshole, which he has proven to you first hand and yet you still like him. Good sex only counts for so much.”

Her lips twitched as she thought about him. “I don't know, it's not just one thing.”

“Enlighten me. Because so far aside from his money, he's been a dick and made up for it _with money_. He's kissed you and made you feel like it meant nothing and then made it up to you with a sex marathon in his fancy lake cabin. It's not like you to fall for that kind of stuff.”

She chewed her lip. From that point of view, she could see why Ruby was confused. Her thoughts drifted to Rum.

“The first time we spent alone on his yacht, I ended up having a Belle moment,” she attempted to joke. “I let it slip that Gaston sometimes just... didn't care about consent and I let it happen because I needed him. I got upset and ended up sobbing right in front of him.”

Her eyes slowly drifted to her friend, seeing the look of confusion and betrayal at not being told from the beginning.

“Why didn't you tell me?”

“I was embarrassed,” she said with an apologetic smile. “I barely knew the man and here I was crying over my ex. He held me, Ruby. He held me and he told me some personal details about his own life until I stopped crying. When we first has sex, he didn't assume it's what I wanted. He made sure I was okay with everything, every step of the way. Then last week he stopped by every day to take care of me when I was sick. He held me until I fell asleep. He treats me like a person and he looks at me like he can't see anything else. I know it might be in my head, but just once I'd like to believe it before it's all gone.”

Ruby stared at her in silence. She almost thought she wasn't listening, if it wasn't for the shock written on her face. “Why didn't you tell me any of this?”

“I thought I was looking into it too much. Maybe I am, I don't know. I know what everyone thinks of him and I can see why. I've seen him be an asshole first hand, but I refuse to believe that's who he is. Maybe I always want to see the best in everyone, but he's a good person, underneath it all. He makes me happy.”

Her friend nodded. “That's more than I can say about Gaston.” She let out a disbelieving chuckle. “Leave it to you to fall for the most feared man in Storybrooke.”

She laughed as she took a bite of her muffin. “Would you expect anything else from me?”

Ruby snorted. “Nope, that's you to a T.”

–

Rum had decided not to stay and socialize after the conference on Sunday. He took her out to a nice dinner, just the two of them enjoying the culinary delights of the city. She enjoyed the debate they got into over certain literary masterpieces which somehow segued into an intense conversation regarding the United States education system.

By the time they were done with dinner they headed to the airport and once they arrived back in Storybrooke, she was promptly dropped off at her apartment. He didn't offer to walk her to her apartment, he barely acknowledged the parting kiss she gave him as she left. He had a lot of work to get to Monday morning involving some new acquisition that required a lot of paperwork and bid her goodnight.

As she unpacked her bag she knew it was useless to think he could have feelings for her. His work would always be more important and she couldn't fault him for that. He had built everything he had from the ground up, it was his baby so to speak. She could handle having feelings for him, but she couldn't hope that he would return them. If she braced herself for his inevitable rejection, she couldn't be too disappointed when it happened. The second she believed that he had feelings too would be her downfall.

When she was done unpacking she stretched across her couch, a book on her lap as she read in silence. For once it felt nice to be alone, with only her thoughts and the book in front of her. She didn't have to worry about falling harder for Rum or Ruby warning her that he was not going to feel the same way. She could simply be herself, hiding in her books to forget everything around her, even for a few hours.

–

She had just returned home from buying the books she needed for her upcoming semester when her phone buzzed. It was Jefferson. “Hey?” She answered.

“Belle, lovely to hear your voice. Are you busy?”

She dropped the bags of her schoolbooks on her table. “Uh, no I guess not. Why?”

“There's a situation and we need your help.”

She could hear yelling in the background and the sound of something, or several somethings, being thrown around.

“What's going on?”

“Well... You know that deal Gold was telling you about? Cora swiped it up from under him and now he's taking it out on everyone and everything. I've tried telling him that Cora is a manipulative pain in the ass, but he didn't really like that. All of us here were hoping you could come by and work your magic?”

She almost snorted. “You do realize the last time I was there it didn't work out so well. Besides, what do you think I can do? He's just going to be pissy with me instead.”

“Oh, there are some things you can do that I can't.” His tone was suggestive and she rolled her eyes.

“I'm not some girl you can pimp out, you know. I don't know what magical powers you think I possess, but I think this is beyond me.”

She heard muffled yelling and more items being thrown about in the background. “Can you just try, please?”

She sighed. “Fine. If he treats me like last time it's over between him and I Jefferson. Are you prepared for that?”

“Yup. Dove is already there waiting for you when you're ready. Please hurry, he's already broken a few staplers and his phone. Wear something hot. Thanks again!” He immediately disconnected the call and she frowned.

She was fully prepared for an even worse encounter than last time. She stared at her books, hoping she could easily return them once everything fell apart.

She quickly pulled her hair back and slipped on a flared short leather skirt and a polka dotted white blouse before she slid on a pair of black high heels. She felt comfortable enough to walk into his office at any rate when she met Ben, who was waiting for her like Jefferson said.

“Is this really necessary?” She asked as she sat in the passenger side.

“His rivalry with Cora is long, sometimes she gets the drop on him and he can't take it.”

“What happened the last time this happened?”

Ben stayed silent as she stared at him before he relented. “He trashed his office more or less and holed himself in it for a week. Jefferson was the only one who could talk to him without his head being bitten off, or not taking great offense to run away crying.”

She scrunched her nose at the image. “And you honestly think I can help him?”

Ben grinned. “I know you can. You're our secret weapon.”

She loved their optimism, even though she didn't believe in it. “You do remember what happened last time, right?”

“I'd like to think he learned from his mistake.”

“Does he even know I'm coming?”

His shoulders drooped. “No?”

She closed her eyes and sighed. “This is going to blow up spectacularly, you have to see that.”

“You should have more faith, Miss Belle.”

Faith hadn't gotten her anywhere before and she wasn't going to start praying now. She would tell them all that she had warned them. This time she was prepared to have thick skin when she faced him. She knew what she was going up against and unlike them, she sure as hell wasn't afraid of him. He was acting like a spoiled child who had his toy taken away, what did she have to fear from that? He was being ridiculous and she would tell him as such.

When he was in a worse mood because of it, then she could gloat to them on how she was right. Once they arrived Ben got her through the front door where she made the familiar journey up to the third floor and down to his office. She knew she was getting close when she heard a door slam and a woman dashed out in tears.

Jefferson shot out of his chair with a smile while Ashley was nowhere to be seen. “She was the first casualty of the day,” he explained. “She should be back tomorrow. Please, go in. I'll make sure you won't be interrupted.”

She rolled her eyes at his playful tone as she knocked on the wooden door.

“Go away,” Rum growled from inside.

She decided to ignore him as she opened his door.

“Are you stupid? I said go-” He stopped when he saw her standing in his office. “Belle, ah. With all due respect, I don't think now is a good time.” His tone had tapered off, only sounding irritated, but not with her.

She surveyed his office, finding several items laying on the ground as if he had tossed them against the wall. Books had been ripped from his shelves and tossed onto the ground. There was a stapler broken on the floor. His desk looked similar to the day she had decided to storm out in anger. She walked past the mess, trying not to step on anything in case it was important. “Redecorating?” She arched an eyebrow at him.

He paced back and forth, giving her a brief snort. “Yes, let's call it that.”

He looked like a caged lion, ready to pounce on anyone who dared get too close. “Jefferson told me what happened with Cora.”

He scowled. “That bitch thinks she can come in and take what's mine? She has another thing coming.”

She walked up to him, effectively stopping him from pacing. “What would you do, exactly?”

“It's none of your business. None of this is your business,” he snarled.

She raised an eyebrow at his tone. The old Belle would have had her defenses raised, but she was prepared this time. “As your girlfriend I think it is my business. I don't appreciate your tone either, so you might want to rethink your attitude or I'm going to walk out that door and you will not see me again.” She had gambled on whether or not he cared enough to ever see her again, but she had been firm in her statement.

He looked away from her. “I'm sorry.” It was a begrudging apology, but it was an apology nonetheless.

“You can't stoop to her level. She probably wants you to get revenge, I bet she planned on it. If she's as evil as you claim and she knows you like so many others do, I'm sure she hoped you would scare off all your employees. It wouldn't surprise me if she was going to use it to smear your name for her own advancement. Did you really need this deal? Or was it the fact that Cora was the one who got it that mattered?”

He grumbled. “That does sound like something she would do. She's tried to take me down for years with her schemes. I've been working on this deal for months and she just comes in...” He slammed his fist on his desk in rage, making her jump in surprise.

“Hey, look at me.” She placed her hands on his shoulders, getting him to look her in the eyes. She could see the fury burning in them, the intense hatred he had for Cora, mixed with that softness he had when he looked at her. “Don't let her win. Don't give everyone the satisfaction of being who they think you are.”

“This is who I am.” His tone was rigid as if he believed it.

She smiled, moving one of her hands to slowly caress his cheek. “No it's not. You're the man who took care of me when I was sick. You held me when I cried. You're a big softy, Raghnall Gold, and I'm sticking to it. I won't let these people try and turn you into something you aren't.”

His eyes softened further, his shoulders relaxing slightly underneath her hand, but his eyes hardened again and he pulled away. “I'm never going to be the person you think I am. I'm always going to be the beast they know I can be.”

She slid her hand into his, interlacing their fingers. “You can't tell me what to think and I've made up my mind, so stop trying to change it. Now, what do you say we get you out of here and give your employees a break?”

He frowned. “You know I can't.”

“Can't or won't?” She cocked her head to the side, knowing the truth. She didn't want to resort to Jefferson's tactic, but she wasn't sure anything else would get him away from his desk. “You know, there are other ways to blow off steam that are far more productive.”

His lips twitched into a grin. “Such as?”

She slid onto his desk with a knowing smirk and pulled out a condom from her purse. “This desk looks much sturdier than the one in your home office, don't you think?”

A tingle of excitement ran through her as his hand ran up her bare thigh. His lips began kissing the spot on her neck that made her eyes roll to the back of her head, causing her to grip the desk harder to keep herself upright. “Let's see how quiet you can be,” he murmured into her ear.

He stepped between her thighs, effectively stretching them wide. His lips found hers, hungry and rough, while his fingertips grazed her slit through her panties. She felt his length pressing against her thigh, his teeth nibbling on her bottom lip as he continued their kiss.

His fingers hooked around her panties as he pulled them down with force before he tossed them aside. Her skirt was rolled up to her hips as his fingers teased her opening, before he inserted one... two fingers inside, slowly, teasing.

“Mm, so wet for me,” he murmured into her ear. “I want to bend you over this desk and I don't want to be gentle about it.”

She whimpered as his fingers curled inside of her, finding the perfect spot. All she could do was nod in response.

His fingers slid out and he took a step back, but his hands were on her hips in an instant, pulling her down and turning her around. She braced herself against the desk, her skin tingling in anticipation. “Tell me if it's too much,” he said and she heard the distinct sound of his belt buckle coming undone.

She nodded again and all too soon felt his hard length bury itself inside her. A noise came from her throat and she bit her lip to keep herself from crying out in pleasure. His hands gripped her hips tightly, his thrusts hard and fast.

It was rough, but her body tingled at the feeling of him filling her deep. His panting was shallow, her own lips were parting at the force of his thrusts. There were more powerful thrusts before he groaned and stilled, his body pressing against hers.

She managed to catch her breath as he pulled away and cleaned himself up. She smoothed down her skirt and found her underwear on the floor, quickly putting them back on. His hand caught hers and she looked up at him.

“You can't leave yet.”

She frowned. “Do you want to get out of here?”

He grinned. “I want you back on the desk so I can test how quiet _you_ can be.”

She chewed her lip under his watchful eyes. She sat back on the desk, his fingers sliding up her thighs as she did so.

–

When she walked out of his office Jefferson was still sitting at Ashley's desk. “You were in there awhile,” he said with a knowing smirk. “You look a little flushed, are you feeling okay?”

She refused to be embarrassed, no matter how much harder she blushed at his words. “You're welcome,” she said as she walked away.

“I told you it would work!”

She could hear him chuckling as she walked down the hall. Surprisingly she didn't feel embarrassed, she felt strong. She went into the lions den and left not only unscathed, but having turned the lion into nothing more than a purring house cat.

Maybe she was their secret weapon after all.

 


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One step forward, two steps back....

A couple of weeks had passed since his blowout and everything had changed and stayed the same all at once. She was on his arm for every event and afterward he would take her to his place where they would have amazing sex and she would go back to her place after. She never stayed the night and when she brought it up, he implied that if she stayed he'd never get any work done.

Their texting was still sporadic, but he seemed to try to make an effort, which was something. He was nice and charming and they still had lengthy conversations, but she couldn't help but feel like a wall had been put up.

Gone were his sweet touches when no one was around. Gone was the softness in his eyes when he looked at her. Whenever feelings became part of the conversation, the topic suddenly changed into something else. They hadn't shared any personal stories since their trip to New York. Ben and Jefferson seemed to be happy and Rum seemed to be functioning like usual, but she felt... lost.

She couldn't help but think he realized she had developed feelings for him. It made sense, when she thought about it. He didn't do feelings, he had said from the beginning he had given up that life. He was nice enough that he didn't want to hurt her, so he slowly edged her out to a safe distance where he could still benefit and she would be placated.

It still hurt. Whenever he would smile at her, her heart skipped a beat and she thought that some part of him had come back. Then she would find herself on her way home, nothing more than a distraction to him. His business would always be first.

“Earth to Belle,” Rum said as he waved a hand in front of her.

She blinked and turned to him. “Sorry. What were you saying?”

“I was giving you some background on tonight. I was invited by Andrew Nott, of Nott security. He's been trying to get me to switch over to his company for years. I don't like him or his son Keith, who is set to take over the business, but unfortunately there are some people who they do service that I would like to pitch ideas to, which is why we're going.”

“Sounds good,” she replied as she looked back out the window. Most of the time he did the talking anyway. Not because he left her out, but because she didn't have anything to add most of the time. He rarely left room for small talk, it was always business. Given she didn't have any insight to it, she had nothing to provide but the occasional smile.

“Is everything okay?”

She waved it off. “I'm just tired, I guess. Classes start next week.” She was honestly looking forward to having something to dedicate her time to that wasn't him. It would provide a good distraction.

The answer seemed to satisfy him as he continued to talk about the hosts of the night. She nodded at the appropriate times, but otherwise she wasn't paying attention. She already knew how the night would go—it would go how the past couple of weeks had. They talked on the ride there, he would talk to everyone he needed to at the event and they would leave. She'd go to his home, they'd have sex and she would leave.

It was all very routine and unfeeling. She already decided that she wasn't going to his home after the party. Despite how good he was between the sheets, she didn't come to enjoy how fast he managed to dress afterward and dismiss himself to his office.

Before she knew it they were at the party, drinks in hand as he drifted around the room talking to various other business owners. After an hour Andrew Nott had found them, much to Rum's dismay.

“Mr. Gold, who is this lovely woman on your arm tonight?”

Rum grinned. “Belle French, meet Mr. Andrew Nott.”

She shook the mans hand, who then lifted it up to his lips for a quick peck. She tried not to let the disgust show on her face. “What a pleasure to meet such a beauty.”

She slid her hand back to her side and offered him a forced smile. “What a lovely party you have here.”

“Thank you. My wife, wherever she is, loves throwing them. Is this the year you finally relent and switch to Nott security, Mr. Gold?”

He huffed. “I find your services to be lacking. I am quite happy with who I have currently.”

“We have changed our model since the last time. We could offer...”

Her mind drifted as he explained what new services they offered. From the look on Rum's face it was all for nothing. Ten minutes into the conversation she excused herself, unable to stomach the way Andrew kept looking at her.

She slipped into the bathroom, giving herself a moment to breathe. Rum had warned her about him, after all. After a few minutes she hoped Rum had moved on and exited the bathroom, only to be stopped short by a man blocking her path.

Even in her heels she had to look up at him, his size resembling Gaston's. “Excuse me,” she said, trying to pass him.

He didn't move. “I've been waiting for you to be alone all night. I'm Keith Nott, heir to Nott security,” he said with a grin.

Warning bells went off in her head as she looked for ways around him. “Good for you. I have to get back to my date, if you don't mind.”

He chuckled. “That old man? Please. You can do so much better. You deserve a man who can keep up with you. Satisfy your every need.”

“He keeps me plenty satisfied.” She tried to push past him, but he only pushed her back before him. She looked around, realizing they were in a secluded hallway away from the party. She could hear the music from the great room, no doubt blocking any sound from the hallway.

“How much is he paying you? Seriously, whatever it is, I'll top it.”

She wasn't sure what possessed her—anger mostly, and before she could realize what was happening, she slapped him hard across the face.

“Bitch.” He tightly grabbed her wrist and pinned her against the wall. “Stop lying. It's okay, I know your kind is used to men just taking what they want.”

“Get off me!” She thrashed against him, but he was too strong for her to break free.

His hand slid up her body as she struggled against him. “I'll make it quick, don't worry.”

She turned her head as leaned in to kiss her, hoping to avoid it before she watched him fall to the ground before her.

Rum stood on the other side, shaking with rage. “Get the fuck away from her,” he growled. He raised his cane and brought it hard across Keith's ribs. “I will see that you are ruined for this!” He lifted his cane and hit him in the side again, causing Keith to cry out in pain.

“Stop it!” She stood between Rum and Keith, causing Rum to put down his cane. “He's not worth it.”

His jaw clenched and his nostrils flared. There was a wild look in his eyes that she hadn't seen before. He seemed unfocused, his eyes murdering Keith on the floor and she noticed his arm twitched as he held his cane.

She leaned into his line of sight to get him to look at her and laid her hand on his over his cane. “Let's just go. Please, I want to leave.”

She felt him resist initially until he gave up and followed her. Instead of going for the exit he veered away, leaving her to follow him. He ignored her pleas as he walked right up to Andrew Nott and poked him with his cane.

“You are done! I am going to make sure you never do business in Storybrooke again!”

The room had quieted down, all eyes now on them. “It's not worth it.” She attempted to pull him away, but he remained still.

“What happened?” Andrew looked between them, his eyes wide and full of fear.

“Your idiot son cornered Belle into a hallway and almost...” She squeezed his arm hard, causing him to stop his train of thought and take a breath. “I will not tolerate such behavior. You'll be hearing from me.”

She followed him as he stormed out of the party, walking faster than she had ever seen him walk. She tried not to shrink at the way everyone stared at them as they walked out. She waited until they were safely in the car before she said, “What the hell?”

“I told you I won't tolerate such behavior. That was inexcusable!”

“You're lucky I was there to stop you before you did any more damage. What were you _thinking_?”

He straightened his coat jacket with a huff. “I was thinking that he was about to violate you and needed to be stopped immediately.”

She threw her hands up in disbelief. “I appreciate you saving me, but you didn't need to beat the man. Do you know what people are going to say? Did you see how everyone looked at us on the way out?”

“Fuck 'em,” he muttered. “I barely touched him. Maybe people will think twice before they touch what's mine.”

She felt her jaw clench. “What's yours?” She reiterated. “You don't own me. What you did tonight... there was no need to resort to that. There were other ways to go about it.”

His eyes burned into hers. “I'm not sorry. I hope I broke a rib or two. He is scum and he was going to...” His jaw clenched. “I couldn't bare it if something happened to you while you were in my care. I would never forgive myself.” He looked away and she watched as his hand clenched his cane.

“I don't know what would have happened had you not come when you did.” She didn't want to think about what Keith would have done and tried her best to forget about it. “And I'm grateful that you were there, but you can't just hurt people because what they're doing is wrong. You have to be the better person.”

He refused to look at her, instead choosing to stare outside. “No matter how hard I try, the darkness will always be a part of me. I would never hurt you, Belle. I'm sorry if I scared you, but this is who I am.”

“No it's not.” He turned to her with a frown. “It's who you choose to be. What if you had a kid? What if Milah never lied and you had a kid who depended on you? Do you want to be the man they could be proud of, or are you going to be the man your father was?”

He snarled. “You don't know what you're talking about. I will never, ever be like him.”

She frowned. “The man I saw today looks well on is way to becoming him, if he isn't careful.”

He cursed her under his breath and the car became silent. After what seemed like forever Ben pulled up to the pink Victorian and Rum got out. She stayed in her seat.

“Are you trying to spite me for my actions?”

She glared at his judgmental stare. “I decided I wasn't coming over before you had your outburst.”

He snorted. “I'm sure.”

“I didn't want to waste any more of your time. I didn't want to be another distraction to you.” She wasn't proud of how snarky her tone was, but she couldn't help the bitterness she felt.

His eyes narrowed, but she knew he couldn't refuse her point. “Of course. Have a good night.” He shut the door and she watched as he walked up to his front door as Ben pulled out of the driveway.

“Want to talk about it?”

She sighed as she leaned her head against the window. “No.”

He nodded, driving her home in silence.

–

When she got up the next morning, she hadn't expected company and she really hadn't expected it to be Emma, of all people. It wasn't until she opened her door, seeing Emma in full police uniform, that she had an idea as to why her friend turned up.

“Want anything to drink?” She offered.

Emma shook her head. “No, thanks. I'm not going to beat around the bush. Word got out pretty fast last night about what happened and I'm being sent around to gather statements.”

She half-rolled her eyes. “Rum doesn't waste any time does he,” she stated as she sat at the table, a mug of coffee between her hands.

“Actually, he didn't call it in. Keith Nott is the one pressing charges.”

“Of course he is,” she sighed. After what Rum had done, she wasn't surprised.

“Keith has two broken ribs. I've got his statement and Gold's statement. Now I just need yours.”

She told Emma everything that had happened between the meeting with Andrew Nott up until they left the party. She made sure not to leave anything out, even though parts were not flattering to Rum.

“That seems like everything. This will probably amount to nothing, given who the parties are,” Emma informed her. Which meant Rum was definitely going to pay out the Nott's to keep quiet, which also didn't surprise her. “I told you to be careful around him.”

She stared into her black coffee with a frown. “I'm not afraid of him. He would never hurt me.”

Emma arched an eyebrow. “Are you sure about that?”

She nodded. “The whole time I was afraid for Keith, despite what he almost did. I was afraid for Rum, because he's better than that, but I was never afraid of Rum. I know he's a bit rough around the edges, but he's never laid a hand on me, not even close.”

Her friend didn't seem convinced. “Sometimes it starts out that way. They lull you into a false sense of security. There's all kinds of rumors that he used to hit his ex-wife, you know.”

She hadn't heard those particular rumors, but given what she knew of Milah... “She probably started those rumors. From what I understand she was a piece of work.”

Emma held up her hands. “I'm just telling you what I hear. I'll be damned if I let my friend be a victim. I made sure to let him know that, too.”

She couldn't help but smile. “You threatened him?”

“Of course I did. It was interesting, though. He was very terse and succinct about everything, making sure to give only the important details. It wasn't until I threatened him and let him know that I was your friend that everything changed.”

“How?”

“He offered me tea, to start. Then suddenly he was more forthcoming with information. I'd go out on a limb and say he was trying to be nice.”

“That's surprising since we didn't really end things on a good note last night.” She wondered how long it would be until he surfaced again.

“It was weird, I'll give you that.”

“He did tell me he's trying to be nice to my friends so you don't convince me to dump him,” she said with a smirk.

Emma snorted. “I think he should work on not being an asshole first.”

Belle laughed, knowing Emma was not easily swayed. “It's a work in progress I think.”

They shared a smile as her friend closed her notepad. “I saw Mary Margaret last night.”

Her lips twitched. “Did you get to meet David too?”

“Oh did I ever,” she remarked with a smirk.

“What's he like?” She knew the kind of man Mary Margaret fell for, but it didn't align with her vision of the kind of man who would cheat on his wife.

“He's actually really nice,” Emma said with surprise. “He's exactly her type. Handsome in a fairy tale kind of way, very charming and put together. They are so in love with each other I wanted to vomit. I thought she was pulling my leg, but he's the real deal. I can honestly say I'm happy for her.”

“Good, I'm glad to hear it.” She forced a smile, even though she was truly happy for her friend. She pictured Rum's smiling face, quickly morphing into the scowl from last night, and frowned.

“You can't make a zebra change it's stripes you know.”

A breathy chuckle escaped her lips. “I know. I just wish he looked at me the way that Archie looks at Ruby, or the way you talk about David and Maggie. I thought maybe he could, but... I was wrong.”

“If it's any consolation, I think he does like you.”

“You don't have to make me feel better. Ruby and Archie already told me he doesn't look at me that way. Thanks, though.” She offered a sad smile that Emma returned.

“I'm not trying to make you feel better. You know I have a sense about people and while I don't have a high opinion of him, he was genuinely upset over last night. The man's got issues, but when we were done all he cared about was that I made sure you were okay. He didn't think you'd want to talk to him after everything, so he wanted me to come as a friend and not a cop. Someone who didn't care about you wouldn't say something like that.”

Her lips quirked into a smile. After everything some part of him still cared. “Thanks Em. I'm okay. Really.”

Emma smiled and stood. “My door is always open if you need it.”

 


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all reading & commenting! You all rock.

Belle texted him first, knowing if he beat himself up over Saturday he would continue to do so until she said anything. She also felt bad for what she had said to him and hoped that extending the olive branch would be a good start to apologizing. He responded right away and their messages had been pitiful the days after. They had resorted back to their initial days of _Hi, how are you?_ with responses of _Fine_ or _Busy day_.

It was hard to tell how he was feeling and she didn't want to be the one to suggest a much needed talk. She wasn't sure if he was up for it, wanted to forget about it or was still upset over it. As far as she knew she was still going with him to some charity auction on Friday, which she knew very little about. When she told Ruby about what happened she all but said _I told you so_. Like Emma, she said she was there if anything happened.

She shook her head from her daze as her professor dismissed class. It was her last class of the day and she already had homework to do. She liked all of her classes so far, but she was only two days in. She shoved her books and notebooks into her bag, lifting it onto her shoulder as she left the classroom.

The hall was filled with students rushing out of class, trying to get to their next one as she blended in with the crowd. “Belle,” a familiar Scottish lilt said from behind her.

She turned around, seeing none other than Rum in his usual three piece suit, cane in front of him, looking... well as she actually stared at him, he seemed defeated. She would have been surprised to see him if she hadn't given him her class schedule weeks prior. “Surprised to see you in the land of the living.” She meant it as a joke, but he winced at her words.

“Can we talk?”

“Here?” She gestured around them.

“No. Were you going home? I can give you a lift, if you want.” He was giving her the option, hesitation in his voice as he suggested it.

“Sure,” she agreed. She was always willing to talk, no matter how uncomfortable it was. At this point, she couldn't afford to end the contract, so it was in her best interest to make it work.

She followed him to his car which happened to be parked nearby. He didn't offer any more words, the chatter of students around them filling the silence. He didn't say anything until he started driving them to her apartment.

“How are you liking your classes so far?”

“They're interesting, I think I'm going to enjoy this semester. I already have a ton of homework to keep me busy.”

“That's good,” he murmured with a nod.

“It is.” She stared at her hands as the silence set in. She figured she should at least try and make conversation. “How's work?”

“The same as usual.” She hummed in response and turned to look out the window. Silence settled between them again until he said, “Nice weather we're having. Not a cloud in the sky.”

She looked up and as he said, it was a clear blue sky day. “Yeah. I think it's supposed to rain this weekend, though. That shouldn't interfere with the dinner on Saturday, right? The one with the director of the hospital.”

“Oh. I canceled that dinner. It's going to be next Wednesday instead. I'm sorry, I should have let you know.”

She shrugged. “I only have homework, so it won't be a problem. Are we still going to the auction on Friday?”

He nodded. “Yes, we're still going to that. Have you picked out your dress?”

“I picked it up from Ariel on Monday, I wasn't sure if I'd have time this week otherwise.” It was another beautiful dress, although she doubted Ariel had anything ugly in that store of hers.

“Good, good.”

The silence fell between them for the rest of the car ride, but it wasn't completely uncomfortable. No matter how annoyed she was with him, she still liked being with him. She wished she didn't enjoy his company, but despite his temper, it felt nice having him around. She led him up to her apartment, securely shutting the door behind them as she set her bag on the table.

“We can sit over here,” she gestured to the couch as she sat on one end and he at the other. “So... we need to talk.”

“Yes,” he nodded and cleared his throat. “I've had a few days to think about everything and I don't think it's any surprise if I said things have been distant between us since Saturday.”

She nodded. “That's one way to put it.”

He looked down to his hands. “I didn't mean to scare or upset you. The only reason you were there was because of me. If Keith had... I wouldn't have been able to live with myself. You are my responsibility and you should feel safe with me.”

His shoulders were slumped and from the way he refused to look at her, she knew he genuinely felt bad for his actions. She reached her hand out to grab one of his.

“I do feel safe with you. I'm not scared of you. I was afraid you were going to cross a line you couldn't come back from. I was glad you showed up. I've had time to think about it and I realized I was terrified because a part of me _liked_ watching you hit him. I've seen guys like him get away with harassing girls all the time. For once, it was nice seeing one get what he deserved. I hate that some part of me was okay with it. I didn't want to admit it. I still don't.”

His eyes met hers in surprise. She had tried to fight it, but seeing Rum defend her and the man who had violated her on the ground... it was exciting. No one really stood up for her before, it was nice when someone actually did. She felt sick that some part of her enjoyed it.

“He won't be pressing charges.” She arched an eyebrow at him. “I had some information on him that was incriminating, to say the least. I keep my information secret and he dropped the charges.”

“What kind of information?”

He smirked. “The embezzlement kind.”

She should have known he traded in secrets and money. He was a wealth of knowledge, too. She gave him an apologetic smile. “I'm sorry I said all of those things about you and your father. I was upset and it was completely uncalled for. I went too far.”

“You were right,” he agreed, much to her surprise. “It all started somewhere and I do not want to be my father, not in any way. If I had kids... I would be very ashamed of myself. Little Grace would be afraid of me and I don't want that. I do have a choice and I chose wrong. I'm a work in progress,” he joked.

“Aren't we all?” She smiled. “Thank you for talking to me about it.”

He nodded, seemingly still a million miles away. She wasn't sure what else could be on his mind—he apologized and she clearly had no bad feelings toward him.

“Did you mean what you said?” She frowned, wondering what he was referring to. “Saturday, when you said that you were going to go home anyway.”

“Yeah, I meant it. I made up my mind before we even got to the party.” She pulled her knees to her chest, watching as his features turned pensive.

“Why?”

She couldn't very well tell him that it was because she liked him and she wanted more than just an hour or two in bed with him. Instead she went for the safer answer. “I was tired of being only a distraction to you. I like spending time with you, so when you would tell me to go home after having sex it... well, it made me kind of feel like I was being used. I thought we were friends so it hurt when you would dismiss me after everything. I know you're busy and I wouldn't dream of getting in the way of your work, so I didn't want to say anything.”

“I never meant for you to feel that way. You are my friend and that is a shitty thing to do to a friend.”

“I should've said something sooner. It's not like you can read minds.”

He snorted. “I don't know that it would help, to be honest.” They shared a smile and she noted the softness in his eyes as he looked at her. It always warmed her heart. Yet, no one else noticed the softness in his eyes, she figured it was a figment of her imagination. “Why don't you stay over Friday after the auction? If you want to,” he hastily added.

“Are you sure your work can take a break for a few hours?” She teased.

“Its going to have to.”

She grinned and then a thought came into her head. “Does this mean I get to go to Nepenthe again and buy some more books?”

He chuckled. “If it would make you happy, of course.”

She excitedly bounced on the sofa as she let out a soft squeal. “It's a date.”

–

If she thought people avoided her before The Incident she was clearly mistaken. It seemed word of The Incident had spread throughout Storybrooke and people seemed extra hesitant around them, with some men not even daring to look at her. Rum kept her by his side at all times, even though there was no one at the auction he was worried about.

He ended up winning the bid for some antique vase he was interested in, spending far more than Belle would spend on mostly anything. The amount of wealth in the room was astounding, but at least this time it was going to a good cause.

By the time they were in the car, Rum was smiling. “That was surprisingly enjoyable.”

She nodded, it had been nicer than the last few times they had been out together. “I keep meaning to ask you something.”

“Go ahead,” he waved.

She eyed Ben in the front and leaned closer to Rum so that only he could hear. “Before me you said that you were bothered constantly for being a bachelor. When I'm with you, they mostly can't get away. I guess my question is, are you sure you didn't mistake polite conversation for interest?”

He chuckled. “With you on my arm things are vastly different, especially after last weekend. Women would throw themselves at me when I was alone, or flirt openly if they thought they could get away with it. One of them even threw themselves at me when I tried to get into my car. Ask Mr. Dove, he was there.”

Her eyes traveled to Ben, who was clearly listening to the conversation. Their eyes met in the rear view mirror. “It's true, Miss Belle. She wrapped herself around him and attempted a kiss. I had to pry her off.”

She grinned at the image. She could only imagine how disgusted Rum was by that woman. “Women like that wouldn't care if I was on your arm if they were only after your money.”

“Yes, but it makes it a lot harder to get me alone when I have you constantly by my side. They're greedy, not stupid. Also with my unpredictable temper, they wouldn't want harm to come to their boyfriends or husbands should I get jealous of them.” There was a slight teasing note to his voice that made her giggle.

“You had married women hitting on you?”

He smirked. “You've met them. Does that really surprise you?”

“No,” she shook her head with another laugh. “Some of them are awful. I can feel them staring daggers at me constantly.”

“They wish they had your beauty.” She met his eyes, noticing the sincerity of his voice. It made her heart flutter.

“They wish they had access to your money,” she teased back.

He chuckled. “If I didn't have any money I can guarantee they wouldn't give me a second thought.”

“I don't know, that accent of yours is pretty sexy and if they knew what else you could do with that mouth...” Her heart stopped at the sudden admission and Rum smirked as Ben coughed up front. She hadn't meant to say that out loud. Damn wine.

“I love watching you come undone at my touch. You're so responsive, it's positively captivating.” His voice was lower, his accent thicker as he spoke. She felt her cheeks warm as Ben shifted in the driver seat, still clearly listening. “Your skin is so soft. The way it flushes when I push you over the edge...” His fingers idly stroked her bare arm and she tried to remember to breathe. It had been awhile since their last time and she loved the way he touched her.

However, she promised herself she wouldn't sleep with him tonight. Well, it wasn't going to be the _first_ thing they did when they walked into his house, at least. “What makes you think I'll let you touch me tonight?”

She heard Ben's stifled laugh while Rum smirked. “We both know you want me to.”

She couldn't deny it. She craved him with a mere caress of his fingers. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction though. “We'll see about that.”

He grinned in response, the car falling into silence until they reached his house.

“You know, I still can't believe you bought a pink house.”

“It's salmon,” he griped as he got out of the car.

She shared a smirk with Ben. “Salmon is just a fancier description of what kind of pink it is.”

Ben chuckled, but straightened up as soon as Rum shot him a glare. “Even if it was pink, which it's not, there is nothing wrong with a grown man owning anything pink.”

“Someones defensive,” she whispered as she brushed past Ben, grabbing her bag as she did so.

“I told you,” he whispered as he held back a grin.

“I can hear you.”

She looked up to Rum, who was looking at her, clearly unamused. “I like it. I think it shows your sensitive side.”

He scowled. “There is no such thing.”

Belle walked up to him with a pout, making sure to put on her best innocent face. “Not even for me?”

His features softened before his eyes flickered to Ben, turning hard again. “That's all for tonight Mr. Dove.”

She turned to their driver and waved. “Thanks for the ride. Drive home safe. Who knows what kind of crazies are out tonight.”

“Thank you, Miss Belle. I will. Mr. Gold,” he said with a nod as he got back into the car.

They walked into his home, where she toed off her heels, making her feel very short next to him. “Would it kill you to be nice to him?”

He lifted off his suit jacket and hung it up by the door with a shrug. “He's my driver, not my friend.”

She set her bag on the stairs with a huff. “It wouldn't kill you if you had friends, you know.”

He loosened his tie and she watched as he lifted it off and set it next to his suit jacket. “It just might.”

She shook her head as she walked into his living room and felt her purse buzzing against her. She pulled out her phone, seeing it was Mary Margaret calling her. “Speaking of friends,” she said as she held up her phone and answered it. “Hey Mags.”

Rum shuffled to the liquor cabinet in the corner. “Hey Belle! How's it going?”

She sounded cheery as ever, which was more than Belle could say for herself. “Fine, I'm at Rum's place now. We just got back from a charity auction.”

“That sounds fun. Perfect timing, too! I was talking with Emma and she said that she got to meet him the other day. Now I'm the only one who hasn't seen this man of yours yet and you haven't met David. I was thinking I could have you both over for dinner sometime next week and we can all get to know each other. How does Thursday at seven sound?”

Ever the optimist, it was no surprise Mary Margaret wanted to have a double date. She knew they were both free Thursday night, not that he would ever agree to come. She was too curious about David to say no. “That sounds great. We'll be there.”

Rum arched an eyebrow at her as he handed her a glass of wine and sat next to her.

“Great! I won't keep you anymore. I'll see you then!”

She ended the call with a shake of her head.

“Where will we be?” He asked as he sipped his wine.

She set her phone on his coffee table along with her purse. “You don't need to worry about it. That was Mary Margaret, she's the one who recently found out she was pregnant,” she reminded him. “She wants to have us over for dinner Thursday so she can meet you and I can meet David, her boyfriend I guess, even though he's married.” She took a sip of her wine. “I know you won't want to go, so I'll just say something important came up at the last minute.”

“Why won't I want to go?”

He didn't take offense to her statement, but his tone made it seem like he did want to go, much to her surprise. “I don't know, you're a busy man,” she shrugged. “Besides, neither Ruby or Emma really like you. I'd like at least one of my friends to like you, even if it's because she's never met you.”

He frowned. “Emma I can understand, but Ruby? I thought we had a good time together at dinner weeks ago.”

She couldn't exactly tell him that her friend was worried she was going to get her heart broken, so she took another sip of wine to buy time. “We did,” she agreed. “But then you beat up Keith and Emma no doubt told Ruby the rumors she heard about you hitting your ex-wife. Not that I believe them,” she hastily added at his raised eyebrows. “But after that, they're worried at some point you're going to... well, they think you might get angry and hit me next.”

A heavy sigh escaped his lips and he nodded in defeat. “I can understand their concerns. I never hit Milah, no matter how many times I wanted to throttle her for being the bitch that she was.” He sipped his wine in thought. “I knew about those rumors, it's been awhile since I've heard them. She started spreading them after I sent Killian to the hospital. She wanted to paint herself as the victim.” He darkly laughed and she watched his jaw tense at the thought. “I might yell and be an arse, but I would never lay a hand on you. Especially after...” He shook his head. “I didn't think I ever gave them that impression. I tried to be nice.”

There was hurt in his eyes as she placed her hand on his. He did not want to be the man his father was, the one that Ruby and Emma thought he could turn into. “I know. You were nice, at least to Ruby. I wasn't there when you met Emma,” she tried to smile to lighten the mood, but he only nodded. “You're just a reserved person, that's what she told me. Like how you are with Ben. You don't show them your sensitive side,” she teased. “They only see or hear about your serious side and they think that's how you are all the time.”

He nodded. “Tell me about your friend Mary Margaret. What can I expect from her?”

At the thought of them being in a room together she grinned. “You're very opposite of each other. She's an optimist, always has been. She believes in true love and the whole two point five kids and a white picket fence kind of life. She believes David is her true love and he's now moved in with her. Honestly you'd probably hate it. She's going to try and get disgustingly cute about the details of our relationship, if we said I love you, who said it first. That kind of stuff.”

She could tell he fought a smile. “She does know who I am, right?”

“Yeah. Like I said, she's an optimist. She believes there's someone for everyone. Now that Ruby has Archie and Emma and Regina are a happy couple, that only leaves me. She wants all of us to be happy and she knows how unhappy I was with Gaston.”

“You can count me in.”

He said it so casually she thought she misheard him. “You want to go?”

“I need at least one of your friends to like me. So we're on the same page, I said I love you first.” He smirked as he sipped his wine and she lightly shoved his shoulder.

“No one would believe that. It has to be me.”

He scoffed. “Why? I'm sensitive, remember? You said so.” There was a teasing glint in his eyes and she loved it.

She grinned. “While that may be true, Maggie knows me. She knows I wholeheartedly throw myself into these things, she doesn't know that this isn't real. I can at least look like I mean it. No offense, but as Ruby said, you act reserved on a good day in front of people. You're going to have a hard enough time trying to convince her you do have feelings, let alone the love kind.”

“I'll just have to prove you wrong.”

He seemed so confident, she wasn't sure what to expect on Thursday. She wasn't sure it was such a good idea anymore. “I'd like to see you try.”

He set down his wine glass and pulled one of her legs to him, setting her foot on his thigh. He began his massage, putting just enough pressure inside and up as he rubbed circles on her foot. “You make it sound like it'll be difficult.” He continued his ministrations and she almost groaned at how good it felt after being on her feet for hours in heels. “But you make it so easy to like you, it won't be hard.”

Her heart thrummed in her chest. He liked her? She chewed her lip to keep herself from smiling like an idiot. She didn't want to say anything and give herself away, so she continued to watch his hands work her foot until he moved to the other one. She finished off her wine, feeling her body loosen as it coursed through her.

He looked softer again as he focused on her foot, the wrinkles seemed less pronounced and there was even a slight smile on his lips. His hair was graying, but it was so soft... she loved running her fingers through it. Everything about him was sharp—his nose, his jaw, his clothes and his words. He was still wearing his button down shirt and vest and she couldn't decide if she liked him more in that or in his entire suit.

He was so handsome, it made her smile. She loved looking into his eyes, loving how warm and brown they were, holding an entire world inside of them. He was a slight man, but the strength that he possessed was hard to ignore. Then there was the way he was prepared to defend her, even to a fault that tickled a part of her. Finally there was the smile he had, one she had only seen when they were privately together, that melted her heart completely.

She pulled her legs back, causing him to look at her in confusion. She slid over to him, swinging her leg over his body to straddle him before she leaned down and softly kissed him. She thread her fingers into his hair as his hands went to her hips and his lips softly met hers. She felt the familiar pull in her abdomen to be near him as she ground against him.

He pulled away. “Belle... I promised myself I wouldn't let anything happen tonight.”

“Me too,” she breathed as she stared down into his eyes.

Apprehension mixed with lust swirled in his amber orbs. “I don't want you to think that—“

She placed a finger on his lips, effectively stopping him. “I won't. I know what I said, but I just... I need this. Besides, you already promised I could stay the night.”

He nodded. “Of course you can.”

She grinned, leaning in to place another soft kiss on his lips. He seemed to understand as he kissed her back, slowly at first, quickly becoming harder and faster the more she rubbed against him. He swiftly pushed her down onto the couch so that he could hover above her. She felt his hand slid up her legs and underneath her dress, causing her to arch her back and whimper. His finger were so close...

He grinned. “No need to beg. We've got all night.”

 


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so happy to be posting again! Sorry for the delay, I've had a crazy week, which started with me somehow getting myself covered in poison ivy. Anyway, thanks for reading & enjoy!

Something had changed Friday night and Belle wasn't exactly sure what it was, but it made the rest of the week strange. She thought back to Friday, where they had sex on the couch before they moved to his bedroom. She woke up alone, which was no surprise, but instead of finding him in his study, he was downstairs reading the newspaper.

He took her out to breakfast without any prompting from her and then they went to Nepenthe where she only picked out one book, because she still hadn't finished reading the ones he bought before. He dropped her off to her apartment and kissed her goodbye.

All of it seemed usual, if not nicer than usual, but it was the fact that he texted her everyday, actually interested in her day, that was out of nowhere. It was to the point that they were actually having conversations via text that she had to think about what had happened Friday to prompt such a change.

Then he brought her to dinner with the head of Storybrooke hospital and his third wife, Rum made sure to point out, and everything was normal again. She was a pretty distraction to lull his bait into a false sense of security. The third wife was nice, if not a bit plastic in some parts. Rum wanted to donate to the hospital, a substantial enough amount that the head of Storybrooke General would have done anything to please him.

It was all business, with a few quips here and there from him before the night was over. He kissed her knuckles in goodbye and she retreated to her apartment to do homework.

Thursday the texting continued, much to her surprise, and lasted until he showed up at her door... in a three piece suit. “You're really serious about the first impression thing aren't you.”

He grinned as he opened the car door for her. “Of course I am.” She noticed a bouquet of white carnations encased in plastic on the passenger seat and her eyes shot to his in surprise. “They're for Mary Margaret.”

She picked them up and sat down as Rum walked to the other side to get in.

“You got her flowers?”

“Tonight I am a gentleman. I'll get one of your friends to like me, just you wait.”

She fought the urge to laugh as she stared at the flowers in her hand. She told him Mary Margaret's address as he input it into his navigation system. She didn't live far, but far enough to justify a drive. “Thanks for coming tonight.”

“Of course,” he said as if it was a given.

“I'm glad you're coming with me,” she confessed. “I don't know if I could have done it alone.”

“Really? She's your friend and you've told me you've only heard good things about David. What's so hard about that?”

She sighed. “It's just... now all my friends have paired off. Happily in a forever kind of way. Maggie means well, but seeing her with the man she loves who's also madly in love with her? I don't know if I'll ever have that. At least with you there I can pretend.” She could pretend he cared for her, at least. She'd give into her fantasy for a few hours. It couldn't possibly hurt her anymore than her nonreciprocating feelings did already.

“You'll have that. As soon as you're done with me, I bet some man will scoop you off of your feet.”

She forced a smile. She knew she wouldn't be ready to date any time after their arrangement was over. She was going to be too busy missing him to care about anyone else.

A few minutes of silence later and they pulled up to Mary Margaret's apartment. They walked up to the door and rang the buzzer. Not a second later they were allowed through as the first door flung open with Maggie stepping out. “Belle! Mr. Gold! So glad you could make it.”

She smiled and hugged her friend. “Look at you. You can barely tell you're pregnant.

She laughed. “I'm eight weeks, I had an appointment yesterday. I can show you the ultrasound pictures.”

“These are for you,” Rum said as he extended the flowers to her. Maggie's face lit up as she sniffed them. “Congratulations, by the way.”

“Thank you! These are lovely. Come on in. David, Belle and Mr. Gold are here! He's cooking in the kitchen, I seem to be a bit iffy on food these days.”

Boxes littered the floor, no doubt more of David's stuff filling the space. The man in question came out and he was everything Emma described him as. He was tall, with perfect hair and a perfect smile. “Sorry about the mess. We are looking for a bigger place, so we didn't see the need to unpack everything right now.”

“I'm just going to put these in water,” Maggie said as she disappeared into the kitchen.

“It's nice to meet you,” David said as he shook Belle's and then Rum's hands. “Maggie has told me a lot about you,” he said as he smiled at Belle. “However I'm afraid I know nothing about you, Mr. Gold.” He said it in the kindest way possible, almost as if he wanted to get to know him as a friend.

She immediately knew why Maggie had fallen for him. There was something about him, he was one of those likeable people.

“I'm not that interesting,” he deflected.

“Don't be modest. Maggie told me you own Dark Castle. You've brought a lot of work here to Storybrooke. What made you choose here of all places?”

“I've been in big cities. When I visited here I saw a nice, quieter place to settle down and I was ready for a change. I'm not as young as I used to be,” he joked as he held up his cane.

David waved it off. “You don't look that old to me. Could I get you guys something to drink? We've got water, I have a bottle of red wine somewhere... milk?

She shook her head. “No thanks,” both her and Rum said.

“Here she is,” Maggie said as she walked out holding the pictures.

“It's a girl?” She asked as she looked at the blob in front of her.

“It's still too early to tell,” David said with a grin. “But Maggie is so sure we're having a girl.”

“And what do you think?” Rum asked.

He shrugged as he wrapped an arm around Maggie's waist and gave her a bright smile. Belle looked back to the pictures to avoid seeing the shared love in their eyes.

“I don't care what we have as long as he or she is healthy. I never thought I'd get to be a father, so this is all very exciting.”

She handed her friend back the pictures. “I'm so happy for you.”

“Thanks!” She said with a grin. “Who knows, I'm sure someday you'll be pregnant with Gold junior. You do want kids, don't you Mr. Gold? I know Belle does, ever since she was younger she's said she's wanted a family.”

“Maggie,” she said between clenched teeth.

“We have talked about it,” he casually said as he wrapped an arm around her. “I myself wanted a family, but my ex-wife didn't. As I got older I figured it wasn't meant to be, but you never know. I certainly wouldn't be upset if Belle was carrying my child.” He looked down at her and they shared a smile that stopped her heart. He looked so sincere, she could have mistaken his words as truth.

“Who was your lawyer for the divorce? I'm about to go through one myself.”

Maggie pulled Belle's arm, taking her away from the men. “Let's give them a minute to talk.” She looked back at Rum, who looked relaxed as she followed her friend to the kitchen. She smelled something cooking in the oven, making her stomach grumble.

“Smells good. What are we having?”

“Stuffed peppers,” she replied as she hung up the ultrasound pictures on the refrigerator. “So what do you think about David?” She whirled around, her body bouncing as she waited.

“He seems really nice,” she smiled. “I had my doubts, but he seems like a genuinely nice guy. He's going to make a great dad.”

“I know,” she nearly squealed. “I can't believe it. He went with me to my doctors appointment, he's been great when I get so nauseous I can't eat. He's been giving me these great massages after work.” She floated away, a dreamy smile on her face as she thought about her lover.

Belle didn't have the stomach to ask her what she thought about Rum. “You've got a good one.”

She snapped from her daze. “So do you. That man has it so bad he's already imagining having babies with you,” she teased.

She laughed. “I wouldn't go that far.”

“I know that look when I see it.”

“Ruby and Emma would disagree with you.” If Maggie wasn't going to tell her the truth, she had to be the one to dash herself in the cold water of reality.

“They see what they want to see. Emma told me to be careful tonight. She said she was afraid for you around him,” she laughed.

“She said that?” She knew Emma was concerned, but not that concerned.

Maggie nodded. “I was a little weary at first, but after meeting him?” She rolled her eyes. “The man would slit his own wrists before he hurt you. Typical Emma, being dramatic. Again.”

“But you've barely met him.” She so badly wanted to believe her, but Emma and Ruby's words nagged her in the back of her mind.

“All I need to see is the way he looks at you. I'm a believer, the other two are not. I can't explain it, it's just a feeling.”

She nodded, knowing that more talk of how Rum did or didn't feel was not going to help her feel less for him. “I'm going to see what they're talking about.”

She walked out into the living area where David and Rum stood in conversation. “Let me know who you go with,” Rum said as she walked up to him.

“Will do. I think dinner is almost done, I'm going to go check on it.” He smiled at Belle before he disappeared into the kitchen.

“Enjoying yourself?” She teased.

“Actually, yes. I told him about my divorce and I gave him the name of some attorneys I'd recommend.”

“That was nice of you.”

He shrugged. “He seems like a nice guy. Definitely not the type that I would guess to cheat on his wife.”

“I know!” They shared a small laugh as Maggie came out, a smile on her face as she looked between them.

“Dinner is ready. I've got you waters to drink unless you want something else.” She gestured to the dining room table set for four people. She and Rum sat next to each other as David brought out the pan of stuffed peppers.

“It's hot, so be careful,” he warned as set them down in the middle.

Everyone dished out their own pepper, the steam rising from their centers as they were cut open.

“How's school going?” Maggie asked as she blew on a bit of her pepper.

“Great, so far. I like my classes and the professors. I'm just excited to finally be getting my degree.”

“I bet. You've had to work so hard, you deserve it,” Maggie said with a smile.

“That must mean you have off Monday too. Any special plans?” David asked.

She shook her head. “Homework.”

“You have off Monday?” Rum asked in surprise. “Why didn't you tell me?”

“It's Labor day,” she shrugged. “I figured you'd be working.”

He nodded. “Of course. I can't believe that's coming up already.” She knew he definitely had no clue that there was a holiday coming up. “We should go up to the cabin, if you're interested.”

Everyone's eyes fell to him. “You have a cabin? Where?” Maggie asked

“It's a couple of hours away, on a secluded lake. We went for the fourth of July, actually. We had a great time.”

Belle bowed her head, unable to hide her blush as she thought of their last trip to the cabin.

“I'd say so,” Maggie smirked as she caught Belle's blush.

Rum looked to her, a genuine smile on his face. “It was the first time I told her I loved her.”

Maggie squealed and Belle wanted to slap the smirk that had grown on Rum's face. He said it on purpose, just to bait her friend, knowing full well it would work. She wanted to be mad, but the genuine happiness it brought him only made her smile. “When did you know? Oh I love these stories!” Maggie excitedly bounced in her seat as Rum turned away.

“I had a feeling that I loved her, but I thought it was too soon. So I invited her to the lake cabin to spend a few days together and to give her a vacation for once.” His lips twitched in a smile at that. “We had a serious conversation on the way there and it led to her reading Her Handsome Hero to me, because you know she carries it everywhere.”

Mary Margaret laughed. “Some things never change.”

“I could listen to her read for hours, I realized. And then I imagined her reading to our children at night before bed. I could clearly see her, wedged between two of them, a book on her lap as she read to them. It was something I never knew I wanted, but there it was. I didn't want it to be a dream.” He looked to her and she could have sworn that there was love in his eyes. “Then later on she beat me at Scrabble, which never happens, and I just felt... happy, for the first time in a long time. So I said it and... obviously it went well.”

He pulled his gaze from her to look at Maggie who was now in tears. “That is so romantic! These damn hormones.” She sniffled as she wiped away her tears.

Belle had to blink back her own as she stared at her plate. “I need to use the bathroom.”

Before anyone could question her she shot out of her chair and locked herself in the bathroom. She put the toilet seat down and sat on it, willing herself to breathe.

It wasn't real. It wasn't real. _It wasn't real_. She tried to tell herself over and over. He didn't have feelings for her, he didn't love her and he only said it because she was an idiot who said he couldn't and so he had to prove her wrong.

And boy did he prove her wrong.

She was completely fucked. He had managed to worm his way into her heart, no matter how hard she tried to keep the feelings at bay. She just wanted to like him, keep her distance and move on.

But then he said he loved listening to her read. He said he imagined her reading to their children and she wanted nothing more than to believe it was true. She didn't care that it wasn't. She wanted to see him all the time. She wanted to be there after a bad day at work to ease the pain away from him. She wanted to read to their children until they fell asleep and he made love to her after.

She loved him. She knew it in her heart and finally admitting it made her feel lighter. As long as she didn't admit it to him and ruin everything, she would be okay.

“Belle?” His accented voice said, accompanied by a knock.

She quickly flushed the toilet and washed her hands to make it look like she needed to be there. She quickly opened the door and smiled. “Sorry, I really had to go.”

“Is everything all right?”

She nodded. “Yeah, of course. Why do you ask?”

He studied her and she hoped he couldn't see the sadness in her eyes. “You left rather fast, is all.”

She shrugged. “I'm fine.” She brushed past him to resume eating her dinner. “Sorry, I ate some Mexican last night and it really went through me,” she lied.

Mary Margaret and David shared a knowing look as David said, “Of course. Happens to the best of us.”

They finished their meal making small talk while Belle offered to help Mary Margaret clean, even though David told her to rest. “I'm not even showing yet,” she huffed as she grabbed plates. “Why don't you guys relax on the couch and watch sports or something.”

She quickly grabbed more plates and followed her friend into the kitchen. She almost left to grab more before Maggie stopped her.

“Why is it that you seemed so unsure of his feelings for you earlier and then he comes up with a great story about how he loves you and then you run off like you're upset?” She looked confused and sad, like she had been lied to. Which, technically, she was.

She poked her head out, seeing Rum and David sitting on the couch watching TV before she faced Maggie. “I might have lied to you. Please don't be upset with me,” she pleaded. “I didn't think you would approve.”

“Approve? Of what?”

She chewed her lip. “You can't tell anyone, it's a secret. Ruby knows, but that's it.” More hurt flashed in her friends eyes, but she nodded. “We're not really dating.”

Hurt turned into confusion. “What?”

“I mean... Ruby moved out and I needed money. He has money, he needed a pretend girlfriend to make his ex-wife jealous and to take to events. We have a contract. He pays me to go to events and look good on his arm. It's not real.”

She narrowed her eyes, before they widened in a revelation. “You love him.”

She sighed as she leaned against the counter. “Yeah. I know I shouldn't, Emma and Ruby already think I'm crazy as it is. But, yeah. I do.”

“So what's the big issue then?”

Surprised, she looked at her friend. “He doesn't love me. All of what he said was just a joke. I told him he couldn't make you think he had feelings and he rose to the challenge.”

“So you never read to him while on the way to the cabin?”

“Well, yeah I did that, but...”

Maggie grinned. “Let me guess. You also beat him at Scrabble.”

“Three times actually, but there was no moment between us after that...”

“I'm going to take a shot in the dark here and say that you've talked about kids and he wasn't opposed to the idea of having one with you?” She continued to smirk.

She shrugged. “It came up when you told me you were pregnant and I realized that we didn't have a plan in place should accidents happen. We decided keep the kid, if that's what you mean.”

“Like I said, he loves you. He wants to marry you and have lots of babies with you and--”

She held up her hand. “You're getting carried away.”

She giggled. “Am I? Go with him to the cabin this weekend. I bet it'll become very obvious on how he feels about you.”

“He wasn't serious. He has too much work to do.” She also wasn't sure she could handle three days with him, knowing how she felt.

“So call my bluff. Tell him you want to go to the cabin this weekend. I would bet money that he will drop everything and take you in a heartbeat.” She brushed passed her into the dining room and Belle followed her, picking up the rest of the dishes.

“And if he doesn't?”

Maggie looked her dead in the eyes. “Then I'll never talk about true love again.”

Belle blinked in surprise. “I'll think about it.”

She winked. “You know I'm right.”

–

The drive to Belle's apartment was quiet, but not unpleasant, mostly discussing how nice of a night it had been. He parked in front of her building and it was her last chance to ask.

_Ask about the cabin._ “Did you have fun?” Her smile wavered, hoping she would have the courage to ask about the cabin.

He nodded. “I did. I could see myself being friends with David,” he admitted.

“Really?”

“Don't sound so surprised,” he smirked. “He's an easy going guy who means well. Make no mistake, I'd never tell him any of this to his face.”

She laughed. “Of course not.” She stared at her hands. Did she want to go to the cabin? They had a lot of fun last time, but she didn't love him then. If she didn't go, would she love him any less? No. At the very least she could feel wanted, if not loved, for a short while. It was more than she could hope for and it beat sitting at home alone.

“Everything all right?”

Her head snapped to him. “Yeah. I was thinking.”

“I can see that,” he teased. “Care to share?” He was relaxed, his lips quirked in a casual smile.

“Were you serious about going to the cabin this weekend?” It rushed out of her before she had the chance to take it back. It was then that she realized he had some elaborate country club labor day event on Saturday and cursed inwardly.

It took him a few seconds to think before he said, “Absolutely.”

Relief flooded her. “Can we go?” She hated how quiet her voice was and how small she felt as she asked.

He nodded. “Of course we can, if you don't mind me bringing some work along.”

“No, I don't mind. I've got homework to do anyway.”

He smiled. “I'll pick you up tomorrow at five.”

She smiled in return, happy to have him to herself for a couple of days. “Great. I'll see you then.”

 


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone whos reading and commenting! You rock.

When she left her last class on Friday she was surprised to find she had not one, but two missed calls. The first from Ruby and the second from Jefferson. Both wanted them to call her ASAP. Knowing both of them were equally dramatic, she waited until she was out of the building, walking home before she dialed Ruby.

“What is this I'm hearing that you're in love with Gold?”

“Hi to you too, Ruby,” she greeted with an eye roll.

“How is that even possible? Have you listened to nothing I've been telling you?”

“How did you even know, first of all?”

“Emma told me,” she said as if it was obvious.

“How did Emma know?” She said with confusion.

Ruby sighed. “Mary Margaret told her. So, spill. How did this happen? Last time we talked you only liked him, but were setting up healthy boundaries.”

She should have known Mary Margaret couldn't keep it to herself. “He was acting all sweet and... I don't know, I just do.”

“You can't go with him this weekend, it's only going to hurt you more.” Her friends tone was worried, with only a hint of annoyance.

“I didn't think he'd want to go. Maggie said he cares for me and she bet that he would say yes. She thinks he really has feelings for me.”

Ruby groaned and if Belle knew her, she was definitely banging her head against something. “You should know better than to listen to her. Remember what she said when you first met Gaston?”

She frowned. She had said that he was her knight in shining armor and he was going to be the love of her life. “Yes,” she begrudgingly admitted.

“Remember when she told me that Billy was my soul mate?” Right before he drained Ruby's bank account and skipped town. “Then there was that time before Emma came out and Mary Margaret thought she was meant to be with that guy at the precinct? I don't even remember his name anymore.”

“So she doesn't have the best track record...”

“She has no record. Everyone you meet is the one and in love with you according to her. I love her, but she lives in her own fantasy world sometimes. Now that she's found her true love it's worse. I don't want you going into this with her words in your head. I want what's best for you.”

As much as she didn't want to believe it, Ruby had a point. Mary Margaret had always been a dreamer, much like herself. “Can't I be happy just this once?”

Ruby sighed. “Of course you can, but I don't want you to get ahead of yourself. When it happened with Gaston I was happy for you because I didn't know any better, but now I do. What kind of best friend would I be if I didn't look out for you?”

“I'd appreciate it if you supported me.” There was silence and Belle was sure her friend had been surprised by her words. “I don't want to worry anymore. It's exhausting. I just want to enjoy the moment while I have it, even if it's one sided. I know that you and Emma don't like him, but can't you be happy for me? For the first time in I don't even know how long I'm happy. I know it won't last forever, so can't I just enjoy it while I can?”

There was more silence before Ruby replied. “I'm sorry. You should be happy, you deserve that much. I just worry, you know. After Gaston... I don't want to see you like that again. You deserve someone who likes you as much as you like them.”

“Thanks Rubes. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. It just felt nice having someone on my side for once.”

“I know,” she agreed. “I am in your corner, even if it doesn't seem that way. I'll try and be more supportive from now on.”

She smiled. “I'd appreciate it.”

“I'll let you go. I expect full details on this weekend, though.”

“Of course,” she agreed. “Talk to you later.”

She stared at her phone after ending the call, Jefferson's number now on her screen. If Rum had an emergency he would have told her and canceled himself. If Jefferson was calling her it wasn't for anything good, most likely. She took a deep breath and pressed the call button.

“Belle! Took you long enough,” his chipper voice answered.

Her eyebrows furrowed. “Is something wrong? Is Rum okay?”

“I think that depends on who you ask,” he chuckled. “He's sent everyone into a tailspin at Dark Castle. Apparently he made a last minute decision to give everyone Monday off for Labor day. Would you happen to know anything about that?”

“No. I have off from class on Monday and we're going to the cabin this weekend, but I don't see what that has to do with this.”

She heard his muffled voice as if he put his hand across the microphone. “So that's what he meant,” he said to himself. “Apparently if he's not working he doesn't want anyone else to either. I have to say, I really appreciate all this extra time I have with my Grace thanks to you.”

She shook her head. “I don't have anything to do with it. That was all him.”

“Do you think you could give everyone Black Friday off this year? Would it be too much to ask for Christmas eve too?”

“I don't have anything to do with it,” she repeated.

“Oh you most definitely do,” he said with a grin. “He's got it bad for you, my dear.”

“You know, my friends seem to think otherwise.”

“But they don't know him. I do.” She could tell he was entirely too pleased with himself.

“Then give me one reason why I should believe you.” She was tired of being jerked around. Ruby was a natural pessimist with love, while Maggie was the optimist. Emma was the realist and Jefferson was trying to play cupid from the beginning.

“Other than the ones I've already given you?” She didn't bother responding, earning a huff from him. “Fine. We got to talking about Grace a couple of weeks ago, he was pestering me to find her a proper mother figure again.”

“The point?”

“He might have let it slip about your new contract and what should happen if a kid came into the picture.”

She could feel her patience thinning. “I know what it says, Jefferson. And?”

“And... he told me that he did think of it beforehand and purposefully left it out of the contract.”

“What?” She stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, completely confused. “Why would he leave it out?”

“Because he wants kids, even though he says he's given up on the idea. He thought if he was silent about it and it happened he could have a chance. He didn't want to put it in there, only for you to want to end the pregnancy.”

“But we agreed otherwise.”

“Yes, but that was after he knew you. He didn't know you in the beginning and he was afraid and he didn't want to bully you one way or another.”

She thought back to their dinner with Mary Margaret and David, wondering if his words were true. She shook her head. “Still, that doesn't have anything to do with me specifically, just my capability of having children.”

“Well,” he dragged on. “He may have mentioned that he's entertained the idea of you specifically being the mother of his children.”

She almost choked on her own saliva. “ _What_?”

“I've said too much! I promised him I wouldn't say anything. Although he was so drunk I doubt he remembers the conversation at all,” he mused.

“When was this? What did he say exactly?”

“I can't say. Just trust me, okay? He's a stubborn mule, but he likes you and that's that. Now get ready for the weekend and please work on getting us Black Friday off at least, okay?”

“No, Jefferson you can't just--”

“Bye!” He chirped as the call was ended.

What the hell was she supposed to do with that information? She already knew he wanted kids, at least he did years ago. Was Jefferson pulling her leg in an attempt to get them together? She wouldn't put it past him, he was a tricky thing. It wasn't like she could ask Rum outright. He'd either deny it or it would make things weird. She also didn't want to get Jefferson in trouble, even if he deserved it.

She didn't want to think about it. She wasn't going to think about anyone's opinions on the matter but her own. She was going to enjoy their time together and be herself, whether he reciprocated the feelings or not.

–

When Rum picked her up he insisted she read to him and she tried not to smile like an idiot at the request. She read the first hour before he suggested they stop for dinner. Her stomach grumbled in response, clearly agreeing with him.

He pulled up to a quaint diner in a small town, already bustling with people. He opened the door for her and she walked in, noticing the stares of people as he came in behind her. She wore a breezy yellow sundress while he stood in a usual three piece suit. It was clearly a small town as more and more faces turned to them with intrigue.

“I think they're wondering if I'm your father or boyfriend,” he whispered into her ear.

She looked up at him, seeing a slight smirk on his lips. “Want to have some fun?"

He grinned wider. “Oh yes.”

“Good.” She was tired of being judged constantly by pretty much everyone she encountered when they were together. It was about time she had fun with it. What better way than in a town where no one knew them?

She looped her arm through his as they walked up to the counter, the young waitress giving them a welcoming, but uneasy, smile. “Welcome folks. Haven't seen you around here before. Here for some food?”

“That would be great. We were just passing through on the way to our cabin—it's our wedding anniversary—and we thought we'd treat ourselves to some food beforeh*and.” She smiled wide, seeing the look of surprise on the waitresses face.

“Of course! Why don't we get you a seat by the window here? How long have you been married?” She grabbed a few menus as she escorted them to a booth by the window overlooking the street.

Rum cocked an eyebrow at her, clearly amused at the whole thing.

“Five years,” she supplied, earning a slight chuckle from him.

“Has it been that long?” He teased.

They shared a conspiratorial grin as they took their seats at the booth.

“But you look so young!” The waitress supplied as she looked at Belle.

She shrugged. “Age is just a number.”

“Of course. Well, happy anniversary. Your waitress will be here shortly.”

Belle watched as she dashed to the register where the other waitresses were, no doubt sharing their information.

“I guess I'm lucky you don't look like a minor or I'd be arrested already,” he joked.

“Wouldn't that be fun? Could you imagine the look on Jefferson's face if we told him you got arrested?” She laughed, knowing he would get a good laugh from it.

“I'd rather not spend the night in jail,” he said in a serious voice, but his eyes sparkled with mischief.

Their waitress appeared, an older woman with a kind face. “Good evening you two. I hear a celebration is in order tonight.”

She grinned. “Yes! We're going up to our cabin for a romantic weekend away. I don't know if we're even going to make it outside the bedroom, so we better fuel up tonight.”

The waitresses eyes widened as Rum snorted.

“We're trying to have a baby,” he explained, causing her to bite her cheek as the waitress swallowed. “With any luck all our hard work will pay off.”

He looked up to Belle, a cheeky smile on his face.

“Would you two like to order?” She asked, clearly uncomfortable with the turn of the conversation. Good. If they wanted to be nosy, they were going to get more than they bargained for.

“What would you like, darling?” She batted her eyes at him and she could see he was holding back a smirk.

“I don't know, sweetheart. Would you like to get a burger? I know how you like big, juicy things.”

She had to put her hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. The way he could say things with a straight face was a talent she did not possess. “You know I do. How about two burgers with everything on it, please?”

She nodded, quickly scurrying away into the back to gossip with her coworkers.

“I never would've pegged you for the type to torture poor, innocent waitresses like that.”

She shrugged. “I was tired of the way everyone looked at us. You know how these small towns are. Might as well give them something to talk about.”

“Belle? Is that you?”

She turned to the sound of her voice, seeing Astrid standing beside her table. Dressed as a nun. “Astrid,” she said with a hesitant smile. She turned to Rum. “This is Astrid, we went to high school together.” At least back then Astrid had been a quiet, nice girl. Very religious too, which didn't seem to change.

“Sister Astrid,” she corrected. “This must be your husband. I overheard you saying so,” she said with a smile and a nod to Rum. “Congratulations. Last I heard you moved to Boston.”

“I did,” she nodded. “And then I came back. Look at you. You're a nun now,” she said, trying to change the subject fast.

She nodded. “I am. Best thing that's ever happened to me.”

“If you'll excuse us, we're trying to enjoy our anniversary,” Rum intervened with a warning smile, as if he knew the conversation was not one Belle wanted to have.

“Of course. Enjoy. Nice seeing you again Belle.”

They waved to each other while Belle let out a huge breath. “I really hope she doesn't talk to anyone from high school anymore. I don't need a hysterical phone call from Ruby wondering why I'm suddenly married.”

He snickered as he sipped his water. “Now that is a prank I would love to be a part of.”

“Don't you dare,” she threatened.

“Mary Margaret would be happy for us.”

She let out a short laugh. “I'm sure Jefferson would be too.”

He groaned. “He's insufferable.”

“He really should hear the news from us first, though,” she teased as she watched Sister Astrid sit down with another nun. “What are the odds? It's just my luck to try and have fun and it would backfire spectacularly.”

“Imagine really being married to me, it would be even worse.” His tone was teasing, a smirk on his lips as their eyes met.

“I don't know. I don't think it'd be so bad.” The shock on his face made her blush and look away. The weekend had just started and she was already proving she couldn't handle it. She needed to change the subject before she said anything else. “I hope you're okay with a burger.”

He nodded, seemingly catching up to how fast she changed the conversation. “That's fine.”

“What work do you have to do this weekend?” She needed safe topics if she was going get through the weekend without blurting out her feelings.

He shrugged as the waitress brought them waters and left, clearly eying them more intently than necessary. “Some contracts for a possible new acquisition, some proposals for acquiring shares in other companies.”

“That sounds really boring,” she admitted, earning a grin from him.

“I like it. It keep me sharp.” He frowned as he pulled out his phone, no doubt feeling it buzz as he read a message. “Damn.”

She looked back and forth between him and his phone. “What is it?”

“Jefferson decided to omit that one of the pieces of mail I received earlier was an invitation from Cora to her annual Halloween party. He thought he'd wait until I was out of the office to tell me.” He slid his phone back into his coat jacket, his jaw clenching. “Bugger.”

“Do you always get invited to her Halloween party?”

“Unfortunately,” he grumbled. “I was hoping to have a reprieve this year. She holds it at her big mansion outside of New York City and invites every who's who in the business. I always go because she'd try to steal some of my best people out from under me if I didn't. It's a ploy to further her business under the guise of a frivolous holiday party.”

“And Milah will be there with Killian,” she guessed.

“Exactly. It's also a costume party and every year they have some elaborate couples costume. Meanwhile, I show up alone and I wouldn't be caught dead in a costume. I'm going to love seeing the look on their faces when I show up with you.”

“And a costume,” she said with a grin.

“No.”

She pouted. “Please? Wouldn't you love to see their look of surprise of you in a costume? Dare I say having _fun_?”

His lips twitched at the idea. “What do you have in mind?”

“It's a secret. I'll have Ariel dress you of course and make sure everything fits, but it'll be a surprise.”

He eyed her warily. “No nudity, no masks, no make up--”

“Relax,” she said with a smile. “You'll be wearing a suit. Fully covered. No masks, no make-up, just a bit of color to your usual day to day appearance. Trust me.”

He held her gaze for a moment before nodding. “Okay.”

“Okay.” She looked down at her hands and chewed her lower lip in an attempt to keep herself from smiling further. He trusted her. It wasn't an _I love you_ , but it made her heart flutter all the same.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: Cabin fun!


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all reading & commenting. I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

When they left the diner arm in arm, they were still getting glances from the locals. Small towns were very nosy, especially to outsiders who didn't belong. When they were on the road again she picked up her book to begin reading when he stopped her.

“Does it bother you?”

She cocked her head, confused by his question. “Does what bother me?”

“The stares,” he explained. “Being seen with me like that.”

She examined his face, seeing the worry in his eyes coupled with a frown. Despite the turn in his mood, she smiled. “If it bothered me I wouldn't do it.”

He arched an eyebrow at her in surprise. “Truly? You don't mind?”

She shrugged. “Why would I? They're going to draw their own conclusions, whether or not they're right. I'm surprised you don't mind being seen with me.”

An unexpected laugh escaped him. “Why would I mind that?”

“You know most people think I'm some kind of hired escort. I guess in a way they're not wrong, either. Who knows what kinds of things they think about you because of that.”

He snorted. “I don't care what they think. At the end of the day I am with a beautiful woman and they have no proof that you're with me because you want to be or otherwise.”

“It was fun though, right?” Her nose scrunched. “Pretending all that?”

His shoulders relaxed, a small smile on his lips. “Yes, it was.”

At least he didn't find the idea of them married absurd. She could get lost in that fantasy. She could imagine living in his home, seeing him everyday. It would be an adventure, always something new to uncover.

She noticed him look over at her, no doubt wondering why she hadn't started reading yet. She cleared her throat and opened up to where they left off.

–

Instead of asking him, she put her bag in his room when they reached the cabin. She figured if he had an issue with it he would tell her. Considering she didn't get to see him as much as she wanted and literally slept with him even less, she wanted to capitalize on the moment.

He suggested a Scrabble rematch, to which she agreed. She wasn't surprised when he won this time, much to his excitement. She was too distracted by how intense he looked when he stared at his letters and the board. She liked committing every wrinkle, smile and hair to memory. She liked everything about him, even the fact that he had to use a cane to get around. Hearing it hit the floor while he walked meant he was nearby and that made her happy.

The second game she managed to pull it together and make a comeback, but it didn't seem to deter him now that he had won a game.

He stifled a yawn while they put the game away. “It's been a long day. I think I'm going to go to bed early tonight.”

Considering she had class all day and hadn't slept well last night—she was thinking too much about their weekend away—she was ready for bed too. “Me too.”

She followed him to the bedroom and watched as he began to take off his many layers. She didn't pack any pajamas, knowing she preferred to sleep without clothes anyway and that they had never gone to bed without having sex beforehand.

Until now, apparently.

She easily pulled the dress over her and folded it into her bag, easily unhooking her bra as she tossed it with her dress. When she turned around he was in his boxers, staring at her.

“If I wasn't so tired...” His eyes traveled across her body and she grinned as she walked to her side of the bed.

“There's always tomorrow.”

They both slid into bed and she wasn't sure how she should lay. He liked to cuddle, but that was after sex when they were both in a post coitus sleepy haze. If she woke up in the middle of the night or in the morning he kept to himself. “G'night,” she said as she flipped to her side, no longer facing him. At least this way she couldn't stare at him while he slept.

“Good night,” he murmured as he shut off the lamp on the nightstand. She listened to the rustling of the sheets and the blankets before she felt his arm wrap around her, his body now pressed against hers. “Mm, you're so warm.”

She was glad he couldn't see her, because she was grinning like an idiot. Her only response was scooting her ass closer to him as his arm tightened around her.

She fell asleep so fast, she hardly had time to savor the moment.

–

When she woke up she thought she was still dreaming. This time when she opened her eyes she was staring at a bare chest, not an empty bed. She shifted slightly, realizing she was completely pressed up against him, her head resting against his chest, her leg thrown over his and his arm lazily draped across her hip.

She looked up, a lazy smile on her face when she noticed he was awake. “You're still here.”

His eyes were soft as he smirked. “You wouldn't let me go. I had no choice.”

He was teasing her, but she could tell he didn't mind. “You do make a good pillow.” She snuggled closer to him, feeling his warmth against her own.

She heard a low rumble in his chest at her words. “And you make an excellent view.”

She looked down, realizing the blankets had been pushed down to their feet, giving him a perfect view of her breasts pressed against him. She also noticed the effect it had on him as her fingers slowly trailed down his stomach. “Looks like someone isn't tired this morning.”

He grinned. “Oh, I'm very much awake.”

She started stroking him through his boxers as she leaned up to kiss him. His hands immediately searched her body, caressing her exposed skin. He started to sit up, but she had other ideas. She gently pushed him back down and shook her head at him.

She loved watching his eyes grow darker as she kissed her way down his chest, his stomach, before ending at his boxers. She smirked at him as she tugged the boxers down and tossed them, completely baring himself to her.

She placed soft kisses on his balls before she moved to his shaft, placing light, wet kisses from bottom to top. He was staring at her intently as her mouth opened and she licked the head, earning her a strained groan. She moved her lips around it, gently sucking only the tip as her fingers lightly massaged his balls. She took more and more of him into her mouth until she reached her limit and pulled up, allowing her hand to spread her saliva as she pumped him.

His hands threaded into her hair as her mouth and hand moved together, earning pleased grunts from him. “Fuck Belle,” he moaned. She could feel him move his hips in an attempt for more, causing her to speed up her movements. “I'm not going to last,” he moaned and she pulled away completely.

His eyes widened, the lust written all over his face as she slid off her panties and hovered above him.

“Condom,” he rasped as nodded to his bag.

“I could grab one,” she said with a smile. “But I forgot to mention... I started the pill a couple of weeks ago. And I'm completely clean.”

“ _Fuck,_ ” the guttural sound came from him an she took it as all the okay she needed as she slowly lowered herself onto him. It felt so good and so deep she bit her lip once he was fully inside her. “You donnae know what ya do to me,” he said in his thick accent as his hands went to her hips. She braced herself on his legs as she started moving again. They found a rhythm together and she could feel the sweat form on her chest as she picked up the pace.

He felt amazing and she loved watching his lips part in pleasure, his breath coming out ragged and fast. She brought one of her hands to her breast, pinching the nipple and rolling it between her fingers while he watched. She slid her hand down across her body before her fingers found her clit. She was so close, between her own fingers and his cock hitting all of the right spots that she only lasted a few more seconds before she felt her orgasm hit her, her walls spasming around him.

He found his own release right after as his fingers dug into her hips and they both stilled, feeling the pleasure course through them. After a few seconds of trying to get her breathing under control she looked down at their joined bodies and then around, realizing there were no tissues, towels or extra cloths lying around.

“Uh...”

He smirked. “Made a mess, did you?”

“Didn't quite think this through,” she admitted as she scrunched her nose.

“What do you say we move this to the shower?”

She wasn't sure her legs were up to the challenge, but she smiled. “I'll try and make a run for it.”

–

After he got her off again in the shower they ate a quick breakfast before they settled outside with their laptops. Both of them had papers scattered about and she had books as they both worked with nothing but the sounds of nature around them.

After a few hours she finished all of her assignments, noticing he still seemed engrossed in his work. She put all of her stuff away and worked on making lunch for the both of them. After this morning she had worked up quite an appetite and the small muffin for breakfast didn't quite cut it.

She made sure to put extra pickles on his as she carried their plates and waters outside. He quietly murmured “Thank you” to her when she set it down. She opened one of her novels and started to read, slowly eating her sandwich in the process.

After a few chapters she put a bookmark in it and cleared their plates. When she came back he was leaning back and rubbing his eyes. “Need a break?”

He looked up at her, one side of his lips turned up into a half smile. “I need a second pair of eyes.”

She looked at all of the papers around him. “I could help, if you want. I know I don't know anything about any of this,” she gestured to his papers, “but I could proof read. Make sure things make sense.”

“You wouldn't mind?”

She shrugged as she sat across from him. “Not at all. Especially if it means I have your full attention faster.”

A short chuckle escaped him. “Feel free to give it back or ask any questions if you need some clarification,” he said as he slid over a small packet of papers. “I wrote up this contract for that new acquisition I told you about. Can you look for any typos or inconsistencies?”

“Sure.” She grabbed a pen, happy that she could be useful, and set to editing his contract. It was very dry, but different from what she was used to. She would make little notes of better wording and punctuation. She asked for clarification on the things she didn't understand and he easily explained it to her without a thought. The more she helped, the more his job made sense.

It wasn't until he read through her revisions that she sighed in relief as he grinned. “You make some great points. Are you sure you want to be a librarian? You can come work with me instead.”

She mentally pat herself on the back. “Don't you have a legal department to handle this stuff?”

“Of course I do, but I'll admit I'm a little anal when it comes to contracts. They're my specialty.”

She smirked. “Really? I never would have guessed.”

He playfully narrowed his eyes at her as he shuffled his papers together. “I've thought about what you said. About letting go a bit.”

She was surprised he even considered it at all. “And?”

He avoided her eyes. “And I think it would be good for me if I hired someone to help with my overwhelming amount of tasks. I can't do it all anymore, despite how much I want to.”

“I'm glad you've seen the light,” she smiled. “What are you going to do?”

“I think I should take on a partner.”

Her eyes widened. “That would be huge. Do you have anyone in mind?”

“I have a couple people in mind, actually. Both young and ambitious. Very smart, cultured, knowledgeable about the business. I'll have to discuss it further with some people, but I think it would be best for the company.”

She walked over to him, throwing her arms around his shoulders to hug him from behind. “I think you're right.” She leaned down to kiss his cheek. “What do you say to a walk?”

“That sounds lovely, but first...” He pulled out his phone and turned on the camera. “You said all I had to do was ask.”

Her hair was nowhere near tame, in fact it was a wavy mess around her shoulders that didn't want to be controlled this morning so she left it alone. She hugged him closer as she leaned her head next to his, smiling wide for the camera. “And this time you're in the picture.”

He snapped the picture and she was surprised he had a relaxed smile this time, without any prodding from her. “You know you have to send that to me, right?” She said as she pulled away. “Despite how crazy my hair looks today.”

He stood, gathering his papers and laptop together before he placed a kiss on her head. “You still look beautiful to me,” he murmured before walking away.

She watched him walk away like it was the most normal thing for him to do after saying something like that. Her heart clenched tighter in her chest. How could she not fall in love with him? He didn't shy away from her touch, he welcomed it. He thought she was beautiful with her crazy hair and simple t-shirt and shorts.

She thought back to Jefferson's words. _He wants you to be the mother of his children_. But why? Maybe she was the first one who had shown him any kindness in a long time. She was a woman. She liked kids. He was only getting older. It made sense when she actually thought about it. It wasn't because it was her specifically. It could have been any woman he chose in her position, he would say the same if it were anyone else.

He was a kind, sensitive man, even though no one else saw that side. She was bound by a contract not to say anything of what happened between them. He could feel safe with her because nothing was at stake. Even if she did, she doubted anyone would believe her.

No really! The Beast of business loves to cuddle at night and is actually very sweet!

They'd think she'd gone nuts. She was sure Ruby thought she already had one foot in crazy town with the other barely settled in reality. She couldn't tell him about her feelings. Especially not with an event with Cora, Milah and Killian coming up so soon.

It was her sole purpose, to make her jealous. She couldn't accomplish that if she shared her feelings, which were most likely not reciprocated, and make things awkward when the time came. At the very least she could wait until that was over before she poured her heart out.

She could deal with eight months of awkward feelings until the contract ran out. Either that or he would end it, in which case she could still survive on his money until she graduated. Then she could move to another state entirely and never have to see him again.

She frowned at the thought. She didn't want there to be a point where she never saw him again. She liked seeing him and spending time with him.

“Ready for that walk?”

She snapped out of her trance and smiled. “Of course.” He held out his hand to her and she took it, lacing her fingers with his as they walked along the dirt path along the lake.

For now she would savor these moments with him.

 


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little late, but I managed to finally crawl out of bed and into the land of the living. Stupid cold, robbed me of my entire weekend. Thanks to all commenting and for the kudos--it's always nice to read them!

Belle wondered if Ruby had a tracker on her, because she called the second she stepped foot in her apartment. “Hey Ruby,” she answered.

“How was your weekend away?”

She rolled her eyes as she fell onto the couch. “He locked me up in a dungeon and tortured me the whole time,” she sarcastically remarked, earning a startled noise from her friend. “What, isn't that what you wanted me to say?”

Ruby sighed. “That's fair. I just want to make sure you're okay. But really. How was your weekend?”

“Honestly? It was amazing.” She said with a soft sigh. “There was sex and that was great, but it was more than that. I helped him with his work, we took walks around the woods and the lake. He held me at night while we star gazed, they're so beautiful out there. I'm pretty sure we invented strip Scrabble this weekend.” She bit her lip at the memory. “We even got into a discussion about Her Handsome Hero,” she laughed.

There was silence on the other line. “Rubes?”

“Are you sure it was Gold who you were with?”

“Yes. Oh! I forgot the funniest part of this weekend. So we stopped at a diner in this small town for dinner on the way. You know the kind, everyone's super nosy, so we decided to have some fun. We pretended we were a married couple celebrating our anniversary. You should've seen them! You would've thought it was a scandal. Then Rum of course had to make them squirm even more and go into how we were trying for kids. Our waitress was _so_ uncomfortable. Then I saw Astrid, remember her from high school? She's a nun now, not that that's surprising. She thinks we're married. Although if she knew the truth I think her head would explode!” She snickered at the thought.

“You pretended you were married? He was cool with that?”

“Yeah,” she said with a shrug. “He thought it was great. We both got a kick out of it.”

“Huh.”

She frowned. “What do you mean, 'huh'?”

“Maybe I was wrong about him.”

She shot up from the couch. “ _What_?”

“I mean the man was willing to act like he was married to you without a thought and Gaston couldn't even manage to bring it up after being with you for eight years.”

“Rum was married before. It's not a foreign concept to him.” Even though Gaston had no problems proposing to another woman after dumping her a month prior.

“Still. Maybe I missed something last time. We should get together again.”

“We don't have any plans to go to New York City anytime soon. Rum is actually going to California for a few days in a couple of weeks for work. He'd take me, but I have class. He's got a pretty full schedule on the weekends for awhile, especially once the holidays kick in.”

“Hm. What about a Friendsgiving? Like what we did last year. I'm sure Emma and Maggie have plans for Thanksgiving, so we can do it the day after. Archie doesn't have family he talks to, so we're free to come up for the holiday. All the girls with their significant others. It'll be the first time ever and all of us can weigh in on Gold.”

She knew he currently had everyone working the day after Thanksgiving and he so far had no Thanksgiving plans, herself included. “One small problem. Where would we have it? None of us really has the space at the moment.” When it was just the girls anyone's apartment sufficed. Her and Maggie's one bedroom couldn't host that many people. She was sure Emma's place wasn't much bigger.

“We'll figure that out later. I'm going to get everyone on board while you make sure Gold will be there.”

She wasn't sure how long it would take to convince him. Maybe if she gave enough warning and did it when he was happiest he couldn't say no. “Okay. I'll make sure he can come.”

“Great! And I'll finally get to meet David, too. This is going to be the best Friendsgiving yet. Listen, I have to go, but I'll talk to you later, okay?”

“Sure, talk to you later.”

She ended the call and carried her travel bag to her bedroom to start unpacking. She had just packed her bag away when she heard her phone vibrating. She grabbed it to see who was calling and she smiled wide when she saw who it was.

“Anna, hi!”

“Hey! How was your weekend away?”

She grinned. “It was great. Does this mean you finally had your date with Ben?” There was only one way Anna could have known and that was if Ben mentioned being free because Rum had taken the weekend off. She knew Ben had kept making excuses of being busy, but she assured Anna it was just because he was shy, not uninterested.

“I did! It was the worst date I've ever been on!” She giggled.

Belle frowned. She seemed awfully happy for someone who had just went on the worst date ever. “Really? I thought you guys would hit it off. You let Ben down gently, I hope.” Now she would feel awful the next time she saw the man. He'd never let her set him up with anyone again.

“What? No, no, no! Ben was... he's the sweetest, nicest man I have ever met.”

She frowned. “I guess I don't understand. Why was it a bad date?”

“We each decided to pick an activity for our date, I figured that would make him less anxious about ruining it if he only planned half. His part was dinner. When he saw me at the restaurant I thought he was going to pass out!”

Belle tried not to laugh, but she could picture it easily.

“I wasn't even wearing anything that nice and you would have thought I was the most beautiful woman in the world, from his look. So once he finally believed that I was Anna and I sat down, he looked at everything but me!”

“Oh Ben,” she sighed with the shake of her head.

“It took him awhile to come around and have a productive conversation. I'm not sure if it was because he was comfortable or if he was tired of listening to me talk, but either way once we were done with dinner he finally started opening up. Then we walked outside.”

“What happened outside?”

“I was walking in my heels, you know I'm not very good at walking in them, and I wiped out in the parking lot. I cut my chin open and I started bleeding _everywhere_. He got napkins for me and we tried to stop the bleeding, but it was deep. He drove me to the emergency room and waited with me for _hours_ until they stitched me up. I told him he didn't have to be there, but he insisted that he made sure I was okay.”

Belle wanted to be surprised, but that was exactly something that would happen to Anna. “Are you okay?”

“It hurts and it doesn't look pretty, but I'm fine. Anyway, he drove me home and called to check on me the next day. I _jokingly_ told him that I'd feel much better if I had ice cream and he showed up an hour later with _four_ different kinds because he wasn't sure what I wanted.”

She bit her lip to keep herself from laughing. “He can be a bit literal at times.”

She happily sighed. “Yeah, he was super embarrassed when I told him I was joking. He stayed over for awhile and we just talked. Then he made me dinner. He's no chef, but I can't remember the last time a man made me dinner and didn't expect sex right after,” she joked.

“I knew you two would hit it off. I guess it's safe to say you're going out again?” She would need to ask Ben about Anna the next time she saw him. She could already see the blush.

“Definitely. I really hope I don't ruin it. I think this could go somewhere.”

Belle smiled. “I think you'll be just fine.”

–

September came and went, turning into a cool October. She was balancing her classes and going out with Rum fairly easily, while managing a few hours at the library each week. She and Rum developed a habit of talking on the phone before bed, no matter how late it was and she looked forward to it every night.

Her favorite day was Saturday. He always had something to go to, so she would go with him and stay the night. He didn't seem to mind, although he would occasionally be working until she woke. It was a nice routine they had for themselves and she liked it.

She even managed to still keep her feelings a secret, which was a surprise. She felt like she could burst at any moment and slip up, but she remembered her plan. She would tell him after Cora's Halloween party. Well, she hoped she could tell him. She was still hyping herself up to tell him.

She had sent Ariel her costume ideas for the party and she had been thrilled with it. She got to work right away, her enthusiasm making Rum weary. She was staying true to her word. No masks, no makeup and no nudity. She couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he saw her. Time had flown by and before she knew it, it was only a week and a half until the big party.

She found herself at Mary Margaret's on a random Wednesday as they both drank tea on her couch. Her friend was definitely showing now and glowing more than ever.

“We just found out what we're having yesterday,” she grinned wide.

“And?” Belle prodded.

“It's a girl!”

The pure excitement on her friends face was contagious. “I'm so happy for you. You are going to be great parents.”

She watched as Maggie rubbed her small emerging stomach. “I can't believe it. It's all becoming so real.”

“How have you been feeling?”

She chuckled. “Well, I'm not so nauseous anymore, which is great. I feel pretty good so far, considering. My lease is up in January, so we're trying to find a two bedroom or three bedroom before the baby comes. Something to just get us by until we get settled and David's divorce is final.”

“How's that going?”

She shrugged. “It's going. They both have attorneys and David went with this woman Gold suggested, Ella Deville. She's pretty good, but damn is she expensive. It's amicable and we're still draining our savings over this.”

“Really makes you want to get married, huh?” She teased.

“David and I still want to get married,” she said with a smile. “What we have is something special. He married her too young and they weren't right for each other. He treats me like a princess. The way he looks at me...” Her eyes drifted and Belle nodded.

She knew that feeling. At least she knew how Rum looked at her differently than anyone else. “I'm going to tell him how I feel after the Halloween party.”

Maggie's head snapped in her direction. “You are? That's wonderful!”

She frowned. “Is it? What if he doesn't feel the same? What if I make everything incredibly awkward and he doesn't want to see me again?”

“I doubt it,” she laughed. “If he doesn't love you, he definitely at least likes you. You need to start reading all the signs.”

“What signs?”

“First of all,” she held up a finger, “He wouldn't spend so much time with you unless he wanted to. He clearly isn't in it just for the sex, he doesn't get what he wants and then leave.”

She had a point. Ever since their discussion he had never made her feel like a cheap hook up again. “He could just be lonely.”

“Why are you so convinced that he doesn't have feelings for you?”

She paused. That was the million dollar question, wasn't it? “Because I'm just me. I've never been enough. My dad let me go without a second thought. Gaston moved on and I don't even think he had to think about it. My mom's gone. Ruby left, even though I know it's not the same. Rum has everything he could want, so why would he want me?”

Maggie placed her hand over hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Because you're you,” she smiled. “You can't buy happiness or love. No matter who you are, it all comes down to that. Gold might be able to buy himself fancy clothes and cars and trinkets, and sure that might make him happy. You can't buy love. If you could, then it isn't love. It's that connection with someone else who looks at you and says _I see you._ _I am not afraid_. _You are not alone_. That's not something that can be bought, it can only be given freely. That is love.”

She blinked, thinking on her friends words. She did see Rum for who he was—he was a harsh businessman with a sensitive side and a troubled past. She wasn't afraid of him, even in his temperamental rages. He was always alone, even in a room full of people, but when she was with him she felt whole.

Mary Margaret was right. That wasn't something he could buy, it wasn't something that could be taught. She merely felt it deep inside, that understanding she had with him, blossoming over time. She could only hope that he felt it too.

“Thanks Mags.”

“He loves you. He's just too afraid to admit it.”

Her eyebrows furrowed. “Afraid? He's not afraid of anything.”

“Maybe it's for the same reason you're so afraid to tell him your feelings.”

It wasn't something she considered before. He seemed down for any challenge, having no problem with asserting himself in any situation. “You think so?”

“I know so,” she confidently announced. “If love were easy, it wouldn't be so sought after.”

–

Belle stared at Rum as they checked into the hotel, costumes and luggage in hand. It was only a ten minute drive to Cora's mansion and it met all of Rum's elaborate needs of a hotel. She glanced at him as they rode the elevator up in silence. He was tired, no doubt having a long day of meetings and an early morning. He glanced her way and smiled to her before the elevator doors popped open and they stepped out.

Once again he had another lavish room with more space than they needed. They hung up their costumes, Rum nearly burning a hole in his costume bag. “You really won't let me see it until tomorrow?”

“Nope,” she grinned. “It's going to be a surprise.”

He huffed as he began taking out the necessary items from his bag. “You know I don't like surprises.”

“You said you trusted me. You know Ariel would never steer you wrong. I've abided by all your restrictions. What could you possibly have to worry about?”

He toed off his shoes and began undressing out of his three piece suit. “I do trust you. I've never worn a costume, to tell you the truth. I don't know what to expect.”

“Seriously?” Her eyes widened.

“Yes,” he nodded. “Halloween in Scotland was very different than it is here. Even so, growing up it's not as if I was allowed to participate in such festivities. By the time I came to the states with my aunts I was too old to be trick or treating. By the time I reached college and it was acceptable again, I never saw the point.”

“This is so exciting! I'll get to witness your first costume.”

He didn't seem as amused. “The fate of any future costumes rests on your choice for tomorrow night.”

“You know, you should probably act happy about the costume even if you hate it. It would probably annoy Milah like crazy.”

A slight grin appeared. “Oh, she would be furious. All those failed attempts at getting me into a costume, only to see me show up in one.”

She bit back a smirk. Even his ex-wife couldn't get him into a costume. “You aren't going to be mean, are you? Only because I think it would piss her off more if you were happy.” She also wanted his ex-wife to see him happier than he ever had been with her, but that was purely selfish on her part.

“Oh I plan on being a gentleman. I won't rise to her words, not this time.”

She watched him carefully hang up his clothes, wearing nothing but his boxers as he stood before her. “I'm going to bed. Hopefully squeeze some work in tomorrow before this damned party.”

She nodded. “I'll be right behind you.”

It would be their last night before everything changed. She was going to tell him her feelings after the party tomorrow, no matter what happened. She already decided how she was going to do it.

They would get back and settle in bed. She was going to look him right in the eye and say those damning three words. She wanted to see his exact reaction as she said them. She wasn't going to make some elaborate show of it, she was just going to say it. Rip off the band aid and see what happened.

She didn't expect him to say it back, no matter how much Mary Margaret said he would. Her only hope was that he wouldn't shut down and run away from her, leaving her alone like those before him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my BFF for inspiring Anna/Ben's date, as it happened to her years ago and I couldn't help myself. 
> 
> Up next: The Halloween party.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the comments & kudos! Now finally, the party we've all been waiting for.

Rum dressed in the hotel room while Belle took the bathroom. She made sure her makeup was perfect—not too much and not too little. Her hair was pulled back into a half up do, the chestnut curls cascading across her shoulders and back.

She stepped back to look at herself in the mirror. The floor length golden yellow ball gown was perfect. It fell off her shoulders, baring her neck and shoulders for anyone to see. She knew he loved that spot on her for some reason. The dress hugged her bosom and her waist before it flared out, the tulle material glittering with the golden flowers etched onto it.

Ariel had turned her into the Disney princess she wanted to be tonight and she had done it flawlessly. She opted to fore-go the gloves, not wanting to hide her skin, especially in front of him. She wore short heels underneath, enough to make her taller but still short compared to him.

She opened the door and walked out, hearing him mutter to himself. “I look ridiculous. If you were trying to get me to look like Mr. Darcy you completely...” He drifted off, his eyes landing on her and opening wide.

As he looked at her she looked at him. The black pants scrunched below the knee, underneath the white stockings disappeared into polished black dress shoes. He wore a white undershirt underneath the golden vest, his long tailored suit lined in gold with gold buttons, but the suit itself in a rich blue color. To top it off, his hair was pulled back in a proper blue bow.

“Wow,” he murmured as she walked up to him, pulling at his suit to make it look like she was straightening it.

“I told you to trust me.” She peered up at him, his lips pulling into a grin.

“I didn't doubt you for a second.” He looked down at them, his brows furrowing. “But who are we supposed to be?”

She grinned. “I'm surprised you don't know,” she teased as she stepped back. “We're Beauty and the Beast.”

His eyebrows shot up as he took in the information and then he let out a slow, deep laugh. “That's perfect.”

She loved the light in his eyes as he stared at her. “I thought you would appreciate it. Before we leave... Jefferson wanted a picture. He's been blowing up my phone for the past half hour.”

He snorted. “I have half a mind to make him wait, but I know how persistent he can be.”

She grabbed her phone as they stood in front of floor length mirror and she snapped a picture before she sent it to Jefferson. “That should shut him up.”

He chuckled and her phone buzzed. “What did he say?”

She chewed her lip. “He said we look great,” she lied as she put her phone back into her purse. Instead he wrote _My favorite couple in love._ She was not about to say that out loud, not when he was going to find out tonight.

“Despite how much he hates Cora and Milah, this was one of the parties he enjoyed going to. Halloween is his favorite time of year.”

“That makes sense.” He liked his theatrics and dressing up. And also eyeliner. He was a big fan of that too.

“Shall we?” He asked as he held out his arm. She hooked her arm with his as they walked out of the hotel and took a taxi to Cora's mansion. By the time they got there the party was in full swing, which was exactly when Rum liked to show up.

As soon as they walked in she was met with costumes everywhere of different varieties, along with a few people scattered about who refused to wear one.

“Gold!” A low female voice called. She looked into the direction it came from, seeing an older woman about Rum's age approaching. She was wearing a long v-neck black gown with a faux white fur coat and red gloves. Her hair was half black and white and Belle couldn't quite tell if it was a wig.

“Ella,” he nodded. “Nice to see you.”

“You're a flatterer,” she said with a wink. “And who is this delicious beauty you brought with you tonight?”

Belle watched as the woman's eyes ran over her body with clear appreciation. “I'm Belle, the girlfriend,” she introduced with a hand shake.

Ella grinned. “Oh, how lovely. I see we are all living up to our names tonight.”

“This is Ella Deville, otherwise known as Cruella De Vil to any attorneys in the business. We went to law school together.”

Belle couldn't help it, she smiled. “You're my friends boyfriends divorce attorney, actually. Rum here referred him.”

She raised an eyebrow to him. “You were so pleased with my services that you're referring people now? Oh Gold, you'll make me blush.”

Belle turned to him in confusion. “She did my divorce, too,” he explained.

“Ah yes. I saw your trollop of an ex-wife here somewhere,” she muttered as she looked around. “No matter, I'm sure she'll find you. Is Jefferson not here tonight?”

He shook his head. “Now that I'm with Belle, Jefferson can take a break from all of these things.”

“Pity,” she pouted. “I was hoping to have a repeat of last year.”

“You and Jefferson?” She blurted before she could stop herself.

Ella grinned. “Oh, _yes_. He's quite something. Some advice, dear. Always go younger. They last much longer,” she winked, causing Belle to blush.

“That's more than I ever needed to know about his sex life,” she frowned.

“Try flying with him the morning after. I couldn't get him to shut up,” Rum grumbled.

“Oh there are ways, trust me,” Ella purred.

“I've heard enough. We're going to go get a drink.” He pulled Belle away as they listened to Ella laugh behind them.

They each took a flute from the tray of a passing server, Rum easily knocking his back as he set his empty glass aside.

“Still a drunk I see,” another voice said from behind. They turned and found themselves face to face with a woman in an elaborate red dress. To Belle it was obvious that she was supposed to be the Queen of Hearts.

“Cora,” Rum's voice said in his usual calculating manor. “I had a feeling I would be seeing you soon, I thought I should prepare.”

Belle could see the resemblance Cora and Regina had, they were very much related to each other. “And who is this jail bait you've brought tonight?”

She tried not to bristle at the obvious dig at her age. “I'm Belle. It's so nice to meet you, I've heard so many things,” she put on a fake smile as she shook the woman's hand.

Cora's smile could have frozen a weaker person, but not her. “I'm sure.” She looked between them, taking in their costumes. “I see you've finally embraced the spirit of the holiday. And you're finally living up to your name. I heard about that little outburst a few months ago. What was his name, Kit?”

He brushed imaginary lint off of his jacket. “He was nobody who needed to learn a lesson. You can't expect to play with the big dogs and not get bit.”

“Indeed,” she showed her teeth. “How's the business doing? Ever since I acquired that collection of wineries in California business has been fantastic.”

She saw Rum's hands clench. That was the deal Cora stole from him, the one she had to calm him down from. “Glad to hear it. I haven't had much competition in awhile, so it's fun when someone rises to the challenge.”

There was a fire in Cora's eyes as she stared at him. She was trying to rile him up, but he refused to stoke the fire. Instead she settled her eyes on Belle. “What street corner did he pick you up from?”

She could tell Rum was shaking with rage, but she placed a hand on his arm to stop him from blowing up. “Probably the same one you used to walk before your late husband found you.”

The look of shock and rage on Cora's face as it contorted in anger was enough to make her smile. In these months with Rum she had gotten used to being called all kinds of things. She was used to their insinuations. She was used to it with Gaston, too, but in a different way. This time she could finally give it back to someone who deserved it.

“You insolent little _whore_ ,” she shrieked.

Belle pressed her lips together out of amusement as the people nearby stared. “Well if that isn't the pot calling the kettle black.”

Cora's mouth dropped. “You--”

“Now Cora,” a smooth voice cut in. “We don't want to offend our guests. Why don't you let me handle them, hmm?”

She huffed, held her head high and left without another word. Belle stared at the man before them. He was dressed as a pirate, hat and all. He was very handsome with his bright eyes, dark hair and scruffy beard.

“Killian,” Rum muttered in acknowledgment.

She tried not to look surprised, but she hadn't anticipated he would be so easy on the eyes. Killian grinned, his eyes settling on her with a gleam that sent a shiver down her spine. “And who is this lovely lady you've brought tonight?” He held out his hand and she gave him hers, watching as he placed a kiss on her knuckles before letting go.

“I'm his girlfriend. Belle.”

“Ah, what a fitting name.” He smirked as if he knew a secret they didn't. It was unnerving, the way he looked at her. A shorter woman appeared by his side, dressed as a seductive female pirate. She had long brown hair and brown eyes and was around Rum's age. She was beautiful.

“Milah,” he nodded. “This is Belle, my girlfriend,” he introduced as they shook hands.

This woman was Milah? He said a lot of things about her, but he hadn't mentioned how pretty she was, even if she was rotten to the core.

“How cute, you match. I see you finally got the old bastard into a costume.” There was a hint of condescension in her voice and she instantly had a glimpse of the woman Rum had told her about.

“You'll find Belle brings out the best in me.” His arm wrapped around her waist as he glanced at her with a smile.

“I can tell. I heard you beat a poor man into the hospital again. I figured it had to be over a woman.” Her eyes crinkled as if she found the whole thing funny.

“Only a couple of broken ribs. Nothing that won't heal,” he pointedly remarked as he stared at Killian with a smirk.

Milah's eyes drifted to Rum as she pretended to whisper to him. “A little young for you, isn't she?”

His lips pressed together. “You're one to talk.”

She laughed and shrugged. “Guilty. Can you blame me? Younger men are so much better in bed.”

“I don't find that to be true,” Belle spoke up. “I find boys severely lacking. Men, on the other hand...” She eyed Rum from head to toe. “Know exactly how to please a woman.”

Killian smirked. “You must have been practicing. Milah, what did you used to say about your time together?”

“Between the crippled leg and lack of sex drive, I'd have had better sex with an eighty year old who needed Viagra.”

Belle wanted to yell at her. She wanted to call her every name under the sun, but she knew that's what the woman wanted. She couldn't rise to her games.

“Is that all you've got? You're running out of material, Milah.” Rum didn't seem as perturbed by her words as she was. He probably had heard them countless times before.

She smiled, the icy fire of hate in her eyes. “You don't need to fake it, dear. How much is he paying you to be with him?”

“You mean besides the amazing orgasms?”

Killian let out a surprised chuckle while Milah, clearly surprised by her words, continued fake smiling. “A lot, apparently.”

“I'm with him because I choose to be. Unlike you and Killian, who married you for your money. Excuse me, his money,” she gestured to Rum.

It was Rum's turn to stifle a chuckle, earning a smile from her.

“Your cat has claws,” she commented. “I wish I could stay and chat all night, but we have people to see and you are not worth any more of my time. I'd say goodbye,” she said to Belle, “But I'll see you again.”

She turned her back and walked away with Killian, leaving her and Rum together.

“You were... amazing,” he breathed.

She blushed. “They were all as bad as you said they were.”

He chuckled. “I'm glad they could live up to my stories. Now why don't we find some better company?”

She followed him around the room, talking with various other heads of companies and attorney's. They didn't see Cora or Milah again, which was a relief. They snacked on hors d'oeuvres and continued to sip on champagne that went by on trays.

The rest of the people they met weren't horrible, to her surprise. Some were clearly surprised that she was a decent person, given Rum's past presence in partner, but they were nice to her. Some thought their costumes were brilliant, which filled her with a sense of pride while Rum gave her all the credit.

He was in the middle of an important discussion on trade when she felt the champagne getting to her. “I must excuse myself gentlemen,” she announced.

“I don't want you going alone,” he murmured to her.

She looked around, seeing neither Milah, Killian or Cora. “I'll be fine, I promise. I'll be back as fast as I can.”

He nodded and looked down at his watch, no doubt keeping track of how long she'd be missing. She scurried through the crowds of people, finally finding a bathroom. She was happy it was big enough to accommodate her dress as she lifted it to attempt to use the toilet. It took her a moment when she was done to set herself back to rights again before she left the bathroom.

She looked around quickly, seeing no signs of the ones she wished to avoid. As she cut through the crowd, she could see Rum in the distance talking to the same man he was before.

“Finally, you're alone,” Milah's voice said from behind her. She stilled. Rum could easily see her from where he stood if he turned around. With how paranoid he was, it wouldn't take him long. She squared her shoulders and turned to face Milah alone.

“He doesn't chain me to him. I'm allowed to do what I please.”

Milah hummed to herself. “That's what he wants you to think.” She surveyed the crowd, no doubt keeping an eye on Rum. “I only wanted to warn you, is all.”

“Warn me?” She frowned in confusion.

“Oh child,” she smirked. “You're young. That man will do anything to get a step above. He takes what he wants and he doesn't care who gets hurt in the process. Once we found I couldn't have children? He wanted nothing to do with me after that. I was no longer of use to him.”

She frowned. “That's not what he told me.”

“You shouldn't believe everything you hear.” She sipped her own champagne. “He's never going to care about you. He only cares about himself and his business. My suggestion? Drop him. He's not worth it, even with all the money he has.”

She seemed so confident, almost as if she was trying to be nice to Belle, that she couldn't help but be confused. She would never believe the words from her mouth, not when she trusted Rum too much to know he'd never lie to her. “He is a great man, one you didn't appreciate while you had him. He cares about me. I know he does.”

Milah's eyebrows rose. “Oh? Has he told you so?”

She stood straighter. “He doesn't have to.”

“Oh my.” A wicked grin appeared as she searched Belle's face. “He did it. He got you to fall in love with him.” Shock must have shown on her face as she continued. “I never thought I'd see the day,” she laughed. “Does he know?”

She flinched. “Of course.”

It was too late, Milah had already seen through her, if her grin was any indication. “You haven't. Because you know he doesn't love you back.”

Her cheeks flushed at her statement, unable to stop the nerves from taking over. “I love him and I'm not ashamed to admit it. He is kind and caring and a better man than you ever deserved.”

Milah's eyes drifted behind her and her stomach sank as the older woman smirked. “It doesn't appear that the feeling is mutual. How awkward,” her nose crinkled.

She turned around, seeing Rum frozen in place. It was clear that he had heard every word. There was no emotion written on his face as he stood there staring at her. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. He wasn't supposed to find out this way. “Say something,” she whispered.

“I...” The words died in his throat.

“I tried to warn you,” Milah said as she passed by, a smirk on her face. “You're just another pawn.”

She felt everyone staring at them. She, having just confessed she loved the most unlovable man in the room, and that man staring at her without a response.

He didn't love her back.

She blinked back the tears at the sudden revelation. “I need to go.” She rushed past the rest of the people, not caring if she managed to push someone out of the way. She made her way to the front of the mansion where the valet guys were and calmly asked them to call her a cab as she waited out front.

She folded her arms across herself in an effort to keep the October cold away. She felt the hot tears stream down her cheeks and didn't bother to wipe them away. She thought she had prepared for his rejection, but it was worse than she anticipated.

She wasn't enough.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't help myself... but things will work out just fine in the end. :)


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the lovely comments! I'm so glad you all are enjoying this as it comes to an end!

She tried to hide herself around a bush, but it was impossible when she looked like the sun. Minutes ticked by, or at least she thought they did as the tears continued falling. She was grateful that the valet boys decided to ignore her. She didn't want to talk to anyone at the moment.

“Belle?” His accented voice called.

She definitely didn't feel like talking to him in her current state. She could deal with the awkwardness, she could come to terms with the unreciprocated feelings, but it was still too new. She didn't say anything in response, hoping he would stop looking for her and go back inside.

She felt a hand cup her elbow. “Belle.”

She did her best to wipe away her tears, but her makeup was shot to hell and she knew she couldn't hide the evidence of her crying. She turned to him, willing her voice to work as she looked up into his eyes. They were soft and sorrowful. “I'm sorry,” she managed to say.

“What for?”

“You shouldn't have found out like that. I was going to tell you tonight. I had this whole plan. I thought that maybe you had feelings for me too, but I was wrong. I didn't mean for this to happen. I don't want things to be awkward. I'm willing to go forward if you are, but I understand if you don't. You didn't sign up for this and--”

His lips crashed into hers, his arms wrapping around her to hold her close. When he pulled away, she stared at him in confusion. “Why did you do that?”

“You were babbling,” he said with a smile. “I couldn't get a word in otherwise. I'm sorry I froze in there, you surprised me. I hadn't expected to find out that the woman I love, loves me back. It was a lot to take in.”

“You...” She blinked in surprise.

He brushed her cheek with his hand, wiping away the stray wetness on her cheeks. “I love how you light up when you're in a book store. I love that you're kind to everyone, even if they don't deserve it. I love how passionate you are. I love how easily flustered you can get and the way you blush when I'm around. I love the way you bite your lip when you're nervous or the way you laugh when I tell a joke. I love so many things about you. I love _you_ , Belle.”

Her tears started again. “You love me?” She couldn't contain the smile that spread on her face.

“Hopelessly,” he admitted.

A light laugh escaped her as she raised to her toes to kiss him. He kissed her back, his hand threading into her hair. She wanted to show him exactly how she felt, pouring all of her feelings into the kiss.

A throat cleared beside them, one of the valet boys she noticed as they pulled away. “Your taxi is here.”

He grabbed her hand and nodded to the valet boy as they both got into the taxi. She couldn't stop smiling as they looked at each other. He continued to hold her hand, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles in comfort.

When they reached their hotel room they took special care in slowly undressing the other. The kisses were soft and sweet, the touches even more so. Everything was slow and sensual as they stared at each other. The softness—the love she realized—in his eyes as he showered her with his attentions, her own shining back at him.

When they each had found their pleasure she curled into him, drawing patterns on his chest as he caressed her back. Everything was good, everything felt _right_. Except, everything wasn't.

“What now?” She asked as she looked up at him.

His hand paused before it continued stroking her skin. “What do you mean?”

She lifted herself onto her elbow. “Do you want this? Do you want to be together? For real, not part of some contract.”

He smiled, his hand moving to brush her hair behind her ear. “I would love for nothing more.”

She blushed under his gaze. She wasn't sure she was ever going to get used to it. “What do we do about the contract?”

“Ah.” He turned thoughtful and she wondered if he had forgotten they had a contract to begin with. “Well we can't truly be together if there's a contract, can we?”

“No,” she agreed and then bit her lip. She was more than happy to tear the thing up, but...

“What's wrong? I thought you'd be happy to burn it and forget about it.”

“I would,” she said with a smile. “I'm just going to have to get a job now, which means I'll barely get to see you. What with my work schedule, class and your work schedule. I won't be able to go to things with you anymore. A roommate would help.” She would get a waitressing job, as she made decent enough money doing that and had the experience. She used to make some of her best money on weekends, which was when he had all of his events to attend. She couldn't afford to turn it down just because she missed him.

“Nonsense. Just because we won't have a contract doesn't mean I'll stop providing for you. It'll only be for a little while until you graduate.”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “I can't let you do that. I don't want to be with you because of the money.”

“I know,” he said with a smile. “Let me do something nice for my girlfriend.”

She smirked and rolled her eyes. “That's being more than nice and you know it. I don't care if it isn't that much money to you, it's a lot to me. I couldn't let you do it.”

He hummed to himself as he thought. “So you won't let me pay for your expenses and you're going to need to work all the time in order to pay for your expenses unless you happen to find a roommate, does that sound right?”

She nodded. “I could probably work a little less if I found a roommate. I can ask Emma or Maggie, maybe they know someone looking too.”

“If you have a roommate, I'll insist you stay with me. For the privacy of course,” he added with a knowing grin.

She shook her head at him. “Of course.”

He shrugged. “If that's going to be the case, then there's only one solution to our problem.”

“What's that?” She asked with furrowed brows.

“Move in with me.”

She laughed, her smile fading when searched his face. “You're serious.”

He nodded against the pillow. “My house is paid off. I can't imagine you'd make my utilities skyrocket, although if you insist on contributing like I think you will,” he teased upon seeing her open her mouth to object. “You could pay towards those. And food of course.”

She chewed her lip. “It's not that easy, you know. You don't exactly live within walking distance to school or the library.”

He slowly traced his fingertips up an down her arm. “I have no doubt that Mr. Dove would love to drive you. More so than me, at any rate.”

She fought a grin at that, knowing it was true. “You have an answer for everything, don't you?”

A slow smirk appeared and then faded as quick as it came. “And you have an abundance of excuses. I know it's a lot to ask. If it's too soon, tell me. I promise I won't be upset.”

She chewed the inside of her cheek, thinking of her final question. “Why do you want me to move in? I mean, are you sure that's what you want?”

He smiled as he examined her face. “I've spent enough of my life playing it safe. I want to make my intentions clear. Because I love you and I would love for nothing more than to wake up next to you for the rest of my life.”

Her breath caught in her throat at his words. “Okay,” she found herself saying. “I'll move in with you.” She waited for the uncertainty to settle in like it had with Gaston, but in its place she felt... happiness.

He grinned wide as he flipped her onto her back. “I can't wait."

–

When she woke up she wasn't pressed against him, but he was staring at her with a smile. “Good morning.”

“Morning,” she murmured as her eyes focused in the sunlight.

“Your phone keeps buzzing,” he nodded to her nightstand where her phone sat.

She frowned as she reached for her phone and unlocked it. “It's just Ruby, Maggie, Emma and Jefferson. They all want to know how last night went.”

“Huh. Were they worried about you meeting Cora and Milah?”

“No,” she said as she pulled herself up to sit against the headboard. “I told all of them that I was going to tell you I loved you last night. They all want to know what happened.”

“You told Jefferson?”

She giggled at the look of surprise and betrayal on his face. “You know he set up this whole thing, right? He wanted you fall in love with someone. He was playing cupid the whole time.”

“Bugger,” he whispered to himself.

“You should thank him. When I wasn't sure about your feelings, he tried really hard to convince me they weren't one sided. It's part of the reason I decided to tell you.” She quickly texted back everyone but Jefferson, telling them it went well and she'd fill them in later, hoping it would satisfy them for now.

“What did he say?” He looked nervous and she wondered just how much he confided in Jefferson.

“He said you wanted me to be the mother of your children.”

A slew of curses escaped him, causing her to laugh. “I said that to him in confidence.”

“So he didn't lie about that?”

He averted his eyes, suddenly shy. “No. This sounds horrible, but if we're going to be honest with each other... at the cabin, when you told me you were on the pill, I didn't even care if it was true.”

He looked so ashamed, she couldn't find it in herself to be offended. She scooted closer to him, nudging his shoulder with hers so that he'd look at her. “Well, I hate to break it to you but I wasn't lying about that,” she teased. “It's nothing to be embarrassed about. I think it's great that you want to be a father.”

“Yeah?”

She smiled at the light in his eyes. “Yeah. I'm just not ready to be a mother yet,” she admitted. “I want to graduate first, maybe see a bit more of the world. Get married.”

“I can make that happen.”

She laughed, having no doubt that he would give her whatever she wanted. “One thing at a time, killer.”

This time his phone began buzzing. She saw Jefferson's name on the screen and Rum turned to her with a smirk. “Do you want to have some fun?”

She grinned. “Definitely.”

He put the call on speaker. “Morning Jefferson.”

“Gold! You sound happy. What happened last night?” He was dying for details, Belle could imagine him glued to his phone.

“A lot of things, actually. We saw Cora and Milah, it went exceptionally well. Belle really held her own. I have a few potential things coming down the pipe, you should look out for them. Oh and I won't be at work tomorrow.” He winked at Belle and she covered her mouth to keep herself from making a sound.

“Oh? Okay, I'll let everyone know. Did anything else happen last night?”

Rum fought his smile. “Like what? Ella was sad you couldn't come by the way. Is that what you wanted to know? She had a good time last year with you, it seems.”

“That's not... Belle's not answering her phone. Is she with you?”

“She is. She's getting ready actually. We confessed our love for each other and we decided to fly to Vegas last night. We're getting married today. I thought she told you?”

Belle was shaking as she held in her laughter as the phone went silent.

“You're kidding.”

“No,” he said with a smirk. “Here's Belle now. Let me put you on speaker. Belle, Jefferson's on the phone. You didn't tell him we decided to elope today.”

She held in her giggles. “Oh Jeff I'm so sorry. I thought I did! Everything just happened so fast.”

There was more silence. It was silent until she couldn't take it anymore and burst into a fit of giggles.

“You're fucking with me, aren't you.”

Rum laughed. “Yes we are.”

“I'm trying to be mad but I'm too excited for you two! I told you _both_ that there were feelings. It took you long enough to finally admit it to each other.”

“Can I go now? I have a gorgeous fiance laying in bed here and I must get back to her.”

More silence. “You proposed?”

“I'll let you figure that out,” he said as he ended the call.

“You are so evil,” she giggled. “I _love_ it.”

He tossed his phone aside before he turned to her. “We've got some time before we have to leave for our flight.” His hands caressed her bare thigh as he grinned. “What ever shall we do?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One chapter to go! It will be an epilogue, because who doesn't love an epilogue?


	31. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe we're already at the end! I had so much fun writing this and getting to this point, I love these two. Thanks to all who read and left comments, I really hope you enjoy the end!

_13 Months Later_

Belle was worrying over the appetizers she laid out, making sure they were perfect. There were the cheese and crackers, the vegetable tray and shrimp to snack on until the turkey was done. She eyed the thermometer on the counter that was nestled inside the turkey. It was on it's way to being done at the proposed time of eating.

She made sure the wine and spirits were lined up with the proper glasses, along with plenty of non-alcoholic choices. Grace was going to be there after all, but she made sure to have her juice boxes in the refrigerator so they would be cold when she wanted one.

She heard the familiar clack of his cane before she heard him say, “You really went all out this year.”

She turned to him with wide eyes. “You think it's too much? I tried really hard to keep it simple, but I didn't want us to run out of food and it's always nice to have a variety, plus I wanted to make sure Grace would eat--”

She felt his hand on her shoulder, his signature smirk on his face as he looked at her. “Everything is great. Don't worry.”

She let out a breath. “I know. I just want everything to go better than last year, is all.”

He chuckled and placed a kiss on her forehead. “It wasn't so bad. This time we're happily married.”

She grinned. They had been happily married for six months now, after he proposed to her last Christmas. He had no qualms about making anything official, while she was happy to take her time. The original plan was to get married sometime in the fall, maybe even winter. Then after graduation he took her out for her birthday—a surprise week long trip to Hawaii—and she knew. She didn't want to wait anymore, she wanted to be with him for the rest of her life.

She didn't like the fuss over weddings and he didn't care about making a show of it either, so when they arrived back from their trip, they got married. Rum was all too happy to make it official and both of them had found amusement when they got married the day their contract would have expired.

Her friends were upset with her, to say the least. They were happy for her, but they didn't like being surprised that their friend was now suddenly married. They got over it eventually.

Rum decided to make good on his promise to show her the world, because he decided to take two months off of work, leaving it in the hands of his capable new partner Merida, to take Belle all over the world to travel. Merida was more than happy to prove herself and take on the challenge while Rum was happy to let go and enjoy being with his new wife.

She saw more of the world than she ever thought she would and when she returned, she actively sought a job. It didn't take her as long as she thought and she started a few weeks ago as a librarian at the library she had worked at for the past two years. One of her co-workers retired and they were more than happy to have her.

She finally felt happy with her life, especially since Rum had decided to take on less at work. She decided that for Christmas this year she was going to give him something he had wanted for a long time. She was going to tell him that she was ready to try for a baby.

Then she started feeling sick. When she went to take her birth control one day, she realized she had been so preoccupied with traveling and her new job that apparently she had forgotten to take it. At some point she missed an entire week and she didn't realize that was the case until she didn't get her period. Unable to handle the suspense, she took a test unbeknownst to him as she didn't want to get him excited for no reason. The test confirmed her suspicions.

She wanted to tell him so badly. She knew he'd be ecstatic, regardless of whether or not they had agreed to try yet. She tried not to make it obvious and rub her non existent stomach, but she was excited. Scared and nervous, but excited too. She didn't want to reveal it until after everyone left. She knew if she told him he would be too excited and tell everyone. She wasn't even sure how far along she was, but she suspected it was still very early. She didn't want to jinx anything.

She remembered last Thanksgiving, where all of them had gotten together for Friendsgiving. It was awkward at first and then Emma and Ruby began their interrogation of Rum until Belle pulled them away. Once she scolded them on their behavior they relented... only to go in the opposite direction. Ruby proceeded to threaten him unless he was planning on making an honest woman out of her someday, unlike a certain someone of Belle's past.

Luckily Rum did love her and his heartfelt words were sincere. It took until the end of Friendsgiving before they all decided he was okay.

The doorbell rang and Belle perked up. “I'll get it!” She rushed past him and opened the front door, revealing a smiling Ruby and Archie. “Hey! How was your flight?” She hugged both of them as they walked in and hung up their coats in the closet.

“Not bad, really. Everything is so crazy, though. I could use some wine! And where do you want these?” She asked, holding up a bag of rolls.

“I'll take them,” she said.

“And I can show you to your refreshments,” Rum added with a smirk as Ruby's eyes lit up.

She chuckled as she set the rolls on the kitchen counter next to the basket she was going to put them in. She walked out to the living room where Rum was pouring glasses of wine for Ruby and Archie. He poured a third glass and extended it to Belle.

“Oh, no I'm good. I want to wait until after everyone gets here first.”

He arched an eyebrow, knowing that it wasn't like her to turn down wine.

“More for me!” Ruby chimed as she relieved Rum of the glass in his hand. He merely smirked, knowing Ruby's affinity for alcohol, and poured himself a glass.

“Do help yourself Miss Lucas.”

“Still with the Miss Lucas?” She scowled into her wine. “You've been married to my best friend for like what, six months? And you still can't call me Ruby?”

Archie laid a hand on her shoulder, comfortingly rubbing it in an effort to soothe her.

“Ben still calls me Miss Belle, if it makes you feel better.”

“Where is the big guy anyway?” She asked as she looked around. He was hard to miss, being as large as he was.

“He's with Anna's family this year,” Rum added with a faint grin.

Ruby smiled. “Glad that's going well.”

Rum chuckled. “Oh I'd say so. He's been carrying a ring around for months now.”

Belle shook her head. “I keep telling him to just do it. Anna's crazy about him, she'll be thrilled.”

“I can only imagine how he'll be when that happens. Lovesick fool,” Rum said with a shake of his head.

She playfully rolled her eyes. “Takes one to know one.” She giggled at the shock on his face as the doorbell rang. “I'll get it!”

When she opened the door, Emma and Regina's smiling faces now before her. “It's fucking cold out here,” Emma muttered as Belle let them in.

“I'll take the pies while you take your coats off. Rum is in the living room pouring the wine if you want some.” She grabbed the two pies the duo brought and placed them in the kitchen. It was starting to smell like a proper Thanksgiving and it looked like one too. This time next year it would be the same, except they'd have a baby. She grinned at the thought before she walked back to the living room.

No sooner did she step foot into the room did the doorbell ring again. By the time she reached the front door it had already been flung open as Grace and Jefferson walked through. Grace's face lit up as she saw Belle and flung herself around her legs to hug her. “Auntie Belle!”

She wrapped her arm around the five year old before she bent down to her level. “After dinner I've got some new books to read to you, if you want.”

Jefferson chuckled as he pulled at Grace's coat to get it off. She hurriedly shrugged out of it and pulled at the end her dress. “Isn't it pretty? Daddy picked it out.”

She looked up to Jefferson who was smirking as he held up their coats. “That's a pretty dress. You look beautiful, Gracie.”

She grinned wide, clearly pleased with her choice. Jefferson held up the stuffing and mashed potatoes he brought as he made his way to the kitchen.

“Everyone's in the living room.” She said, even though she knew that the little girl only cared about one person.

As soon as she walked in and saw Rum she ran to him, giving him a similar hug. He chuckled and set his wine glass aside and leaned his cane against the cabinet as he hauled her up into his arms.

“You're getting a bit old for this now,” he said with a smile. “I think you've doubled in size since I last saw you!”

Grace let out an infectious giggle and Belle's heart melted. He was going to make such a great father.

“I have not,” she giggled. “I'm the same size!”

He bounced her in his arms and hummed. “I don't know. You sure feel heavier to me. Are you hiding rocks in your pockets?” He made it look like he was searching her pockets, but instead he was tickling her sides, causing her to giggle louder.

“No! Put me down,” she said in between giggles as she wiggled in his grasp.

He set her down, causing her to dash to her father who emerged into the room. “Daddy Uncle Rum was tickling me!”

Jefferson smirked. “We'll just have to get him back, won't we poppet?”

Grace nodded her head as the doorbell rang again. Belle left the scene to open the front door, inviting in the last of their guests. Mary Margaret, David and their daughter Emilia walked in. David set the car seat down with Emilia bundled inside.

“Hey guys,” she greeted before she bent down to begin taking Emilia out of her car seat. The little girl was staring up at Belle wide eyed until Belle started making faces at her, causing her to giggle. “Oh I love her little laugh.”

“Please, she's all yours,” Maggie joked as they took off their coats. “She kept us up all night. We're exhausted.”

“There's refreshments in the living room,” she said as she pulled Emilia out of her car seat.

“Thank god,” David said as he and his new wife walked into the room for a drink.

Belle pulled out a toy from her bag and handed it to Emilia as she walked into the living room, now full of people.

Regina and Rum were talking as he poured the Nolan's their drinks. Emma, Archie and Jefferson were talking while Ruby and Grace seemed to be deep into conversation.

This was her family.

She floated about the room, watching Emilia as everyone drank and ate the snacks laid out. People were laughing. Everyone was happy.

Before she knew it the dinner table had been set and everyone sat around with plates of food in front of them. To her surprise, Rum stood a the head of the table, wine glass in hand. “I would like to say a few words. First, thanks to everyone here tonight. This couldn't be done without all of you. Second, thanks to my lovely, beautiful and wonderful wife,” he said as he winked at her. “This wouldn't be possible without you. You are the reason everyone is here today. I'm so very thankful you came into my life. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me and probably everyone here,” he quipped, earning a laugh from the table. “To Belle.”

Everyone raised their glasses and she fought the tears as they all saluted her and drank. She took a sip of her water, not daring to touch the wine Rum had poured her.

“Now let's eat!” Jefferson said, causing everyone to follow suit.

Except Ruby, who sat directly across from her. She noticed Ruby's stare as she took a bite of her turkey. “What?”

Ruby's eyes flickered to her wine glass. “Why aren't you drinking, Belle?”

Shit. She should have know Ruby would notice. “I have been,” she lied.

“No, you had your water just now.” Her friend smirked and the rest of the table stopped in silence.

“Is it a crime to switch back and forth?”

“Ruby's right, I haven't seen you drink all night,” Emma chimed in.

“When we got here, she said she'd drink once everyone arrived,” Ruby offered.

“She hasn't taken a sip that I've seen,” Maggie commented with a grin.

She felt like a deer caught in headlights. “So?”

“So. Take a sip,” Ruby said with a shrug.

She eyed the glass of wine and then her friends. “I'm not thirsty.”

They all stared at each other with grins. She chanced a look at Rum, who stared at her with wide eyes. “Belle?”

It was so quiet, she could hear a pin drop. How was it that none of her plans ever went accordingly? “Fine,” she glared at Ruby before she turned to Rum with an apologetic smile. “Turns out I forgot to take my birth control. I took a test this morning and... I was going to tell you after everyone left. It's so early, anything could happen. But yes. I'm pregnant.”

A hand covered his mouth and he was... were those tears? Tears welled in his eyes as his hand smothered a happy cry. “I'm going to be a father?”

She got out of her chair and walked to him, rubbing his cheek with her thumb. He looked so happy and hopeful, she couldn't help her own tears that formed. “Yes.”

He wrapped his arms around her, his head settling on her stomach as the tears slid down his cheeks. He peppered kisses on her stomach as she ran her fingers through his hair. She hadn't expected him to be so emotional, but it warmed her heart knowing he was excited about being a father.

He pulled away, his eyes searching hers with worry. “Are you... okay with this?”

He hadn't been pestering her for children, per se, but he had made it abundantly clear how much he wanted them. She, on the other hand, was the one constantly deferring the conversation, not feeling quite ready.

She slid into his lap and offered him a short kiss. “I couldn't be happier.”

Someone cleared their throat and both of them were startled back to reality.

“You know if it's a girl, Ruby is a wonderful name,” Ruby said with a grin, earning laughs from everyone else.

She looked across the table, seeing all of her friends gathered with smiles on their faces as they ate. This was her family. After years of never quite fitting in, she finally found where she belonged.

 


End file.
